Suarez plates Cozart in 9th as Reds edge Cards
CINCINNATI -- Eugenio Suarez singled home Zack Cozart with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Great American Ball Park.
After failing to cash in on bases-loaded situations in the seventh and eighth innings, the Reds had them loaded again with one out in the ninth against Seung Hwan Oh.
Suarez singled through a drawn-in infield for the game-winner.
Raisel Iglesias (2-1) earned the victory for Cincinnati. Oh (4-3) took the loss.
Yadier Molina and Randall Grichuk homered for the Cardinals (70-63), who still lead the New York Mets by two games for the second wild card spot in the National League.
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a walk and three stolen bases, tying his career-high of 57.
Cardinals right-hander Alex Reyes made his second career start and pitched in and out of trouble in the first five innings on Friday.
But, the Reds finally broke through against him in the sixth to tie the score.
Zack Cozart singled to snap an 0-for-17 skid and Brandon Phillips followed with a double. A sacrifice fly by Adam Duvall and RBI single by Scott Schebler made it 2-2.
Reyes allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings.
DeSclafani, coming off his first career complete game Saturday, retired the first four batters he faced before Molina launched his sixth home run of the season into the right-center field stands to put the Cardinals ahead 1-0 in the second.
The Cardinals extended their franchise record homer streak to 21 straight games.
Cincinnati kept the pressure on Reyes in the early innings.
Billy Hamilton reached base in each of his first two plate appearances and each time stole a base, giving him 56 on the season.
But in the first, Hamilton was retired in a rundown between third and home, and in the third, he was left stranded at second.
The Reds had runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings but did not score.
Grichuk led off the fifth with his 20th home run to make it 2-0.
NOTES: St. Louis reinstated 1B Matt Adams from the disabled list after he missed 19 games with right shoulder inflammation. ... Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said RHP Mike Leake began a throwing program and could return by next week. Leake is on the disabled list with shingles. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto was out of the lineup Friday with a stiff neck. ... Cincinnati recalled LHP Cody Reed, RHP Keyvius Sampson and RHP Robert Stephenson from Triple-A Louisville, selected the contract of LHP Wandy Peralta from Louisville and designated OF Kyle Waldrop for assignment.