Reds 5, Cardinals 3
Miguel Cairo snapped a tie with a two-run single in the eighth inning to lead the visiting Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
Joey Votto added a two-run homer and Jay Bruce drew a walk to force in the tying run for the Reds, who needed only four hits to even the series.
Cincinnati trailed, 3-2, entering the eighth inning but started to rally when Drew Stubbs reached on third baseman David Freese’s throwing error with one out. Miguel Batista (1-1) struck out Brandon Phillips for the second out before walking Votto intentionally and hitting Jonny Gomes to load the bases.
Lefthander Trevor Miller came on and walked Bruce to knot it at 3-3 before Ryan Franklin came in an surrendered Cairo’s single.
Aroldis Chapman (1-0) was credited with the win and Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his third save.
Chris Carpenter started for the Cardinals and did not allow a hit until the fifth inning. The Reds tied it at 2-2 on Votto’s homer in the sixth, but Albert Pujols took it right back in the bottom of the frame, belting a 1-1 pitch from Travis Wood out to left for his seventh homer.
Wood lasted 6 1/3 frames, yielding three runs and eight hits.