Molina's RBI double lifts Cardinals past Reds
ST. LOUIS -- In controversial fashion, the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 Thursday night on Yadier Molina's two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Matt Carpenter started the winning rally with a one-out walk off Blake Wood (6-5). Molina rammed a 2-0 pitch to left and the ball appeared to hit off signage behind the wall, but the ball was ruled in play and Carpenter scored from first.
Closer Seung Hwan Oh (6-3) gave up the tying run in the ninth and still picked up the win as the Cardinals (83-76) pulled within two games of the idle New York Mets for the NL's first wild-card spot. They also crawled within a half-game of San Francisco for the second wild-card slot, pending the outcome of the Giants' home game with Colorado.
Cincinnati (67-92) scored in the eighth on Adam Duvall's RBI single to cut the deficit to a run, and tied the game in the ninth on a two-out, two-strike infield single by pinch-hitter Scott Schebler. It scored Ramon Cabrera, who led off the inning with a double on a fly ball to center that was misjudged and went over Randal Grichuk's head.
Neither starter was involved in the decision despite pitching well. Reds right-hander Dan Straily worked six innings, allowing six hits and three runs with two walks and seven strikeouts.
St. Louis rookie Alex Reyes scattered seven hits in six innings, allowing a run. He issued two walks and whiffed six, leaving with a 3-1 lead.
Cincinnati scored first for the fourth consecutive game. Tucker Barnhart lined a two-out single to right in the top of the second inning, scoring Duvall, who led off with a double and reached third on a passed ball.
St. Louis' response came in the bottom of the inning. Second baseman Jedd Gyorko unloaded on a fastball, sending it 456 feet to the bleachers in left-center for his team-high 28th homer of the year.
The Cardinals took the lead in the fourth. Aledmys Diaz's pop fly to shallow left-center fell in for a double, and Jose Martinez moved him to third with a flyout to right. Reyes' grounder to short scored Diaz when Jose Peraza bobbled the ball and had to take the out at first instead of throwing home.
Molina upped the advantage to 3-1 in the fifth with his eighth homer, a first-pitch liner that found the seats in left.
NOTES: Mired in a 7-for-95 slump dating back to Aug. 27, St. Louis LF Brandon Moss didn't start Thursday night. Jose Martinez replaced him. ... Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips (left hand) and CF Scott Schebler (hamstring) sat out for the second consecutive start, with Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Hernan Iribarren filling in, respectively. ... Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong, who had a pinch-hit triple in the ninth inning Wednesday night, didn't start for the sixth straight game due to a shoulder injury. He was hurt Friday after losing his balance in left field while trying to catch a liner.