Cardinals climb over .500 by beating Reds
ST. LOUIS -- For the first time since Opening Night, the St. Louis Cardinals own a winning record.
Six different players knocked in runs and Lance Lynn worked six solid innings to win his third straight start Friday night as St. Louis held off the Cincinnati Reds 7-5 at Busch Stadium.
Lynn (3-1) allowed six hits and a run, walking two and striking out five in his 101-pitch effort. His last pitch walked Devin Mesoraco to fill the bases, but catcher Yadier Molina bailed Lynn out of the jam with a pickoff of Eugenio Suarez at third as Suarez apparently thought time was called and was a step off the bag when tagged by Jedd Gyorko.
The Cardinals (12-11) then scored three in their half of the sixth for a 6-1 lead, driving starter Tim Adleman (0-1) out of the game. Gyorko walloped his fourth homer, Randal Grichuk's single off reliever Blake Wood plated Stephen Piscotty and pinch-hitter Matt Adams added a sacrifice fly.
Molina's sacrifice fly in the seventh seemed like an afterthought, but Cincinnati (10-13) rallied for four runs in the eighth on Joey Votto's two-run homer and Scooter Gennett's two-run double. The Reds got the tying run aboard later in the inning before Seung Hwan Oh induced a first-pitch pop-up from Billy Hamilton to end the inning.
Oh then worked the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances as St. Louis won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Adleman (0-1) permitted eight hits and six runs, five earned, over 5 1/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts. Cincinnati lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Cincinnati initiated scoring in the top of the second inning as right fielder Scott Schebler belted a two-out homer to right, his eighth of the year and his fifth in five games.
After retiring the first six men he faced, Adleman found trouble in the third. Grichuk reached on a two-base throwing error by third baseman Suarez and scored on Kolten Wong's double down the right-field line.
One out later, Dexter Fowler cracked a two-run shot into the right-field seats, his fourth homer of the year and his second in as many games.
NOTES: Cincinnati activated 2014 All-Star C Devin Mesoraco Thursday off the 10-day DL and started him Friday. Mesoraco (shoulder/hip) played 13 games during his rehab assignment at Double-A Pensacola, hitting .170 in 47 at-bats with a homer and three RBIs. ... St. Louis finished with 11 hits, giving it 48 in its last four games. ... Cincinnati RHP Homer Bailey (elbow), who is on the 60-day DL and isn't eligible to come off it until June 1, will throw a bullpen session Tuesday.