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Cardinals 5 Reds 3
Well, so much for that winning streak.
Facing the deciding game of the series, the Cardinals went with a bullpen game and without Nolan Arenado, and beat the Reds.
The Reds have dropped eight consecutive rubber games in a series.
Cards starter Andre Pallante, called up to make his first start since 2022, allowed one hit over his first five innings. He finished at 6 IN, 3 H, 0 R, 86 pitches. He entered with a 6.30 ERA over nine April appearances..
Frankie Montas navigated lots of early trouble to offer six innings of three run baseball, but the Reds offense could only offer just a single run in the 7th, 8th and 9th.
Trailing 5-2, the first two Reds walked in the 9th. Jacob Hurtubise PH and grounded out. Stephenson lifted a sac fly to make it 5-3. TJ Friedl walked. Elly De La Cruz grounded out to end it.
The Reds drop to 24-32, missing a chance to win consecutive series for the first time since the first two series of the season.
Offense: 8 H, 5 BB, 5 K. Last three games: 6 runs, 16 hits. Runs last five games: 2-1–3-4-3 (13). 28th time scoring 3 runs or fewer.
Chess pieces: When the Reds scored and brought the tying run to the plate in the 7th, the Cards turned to a LHP. Bell took down Benson for Fairchild. He struck out. Then Stephenson hit for Maile. He grounded out.
Missed chance: Spencer Steer flew out with the tying run at the plate in the 8th.
Friedl returned from a fractured thumb in….17 days. 0 for 3 w/ 2 BB.
Elly: 2 H, R…..entered 5 for his last 41. Martini 2 hits.
Maile: In the 3rd, threw out a runner trying to steal 2nd and picked off a runner at 1B with 2 on in the same inning. Last time that happened?
Montas: 6 IN, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 107 pitches/70 strikes. Lots of pitches and hard contact early. 36 pitch 4th. 81 pitches through four.
Reds have won one of his last 8 starts. Matt Carpenter HR: 23 HR/78th RBI in 141 career starts vs Reds.
Bullpen: Brent Suter served up an 8th inning solo blast to Nolan Gorman. Big run. Buck Farmer walked in a run in the 9th. Big run.
Rest: Arenado was not in the starting lineup
How they scored:
7th India RBI 1B, 3-1 Cards
8th Candelario 2B w/error scored Elly, 4-2 Cards
9th Stephenson SF, 5-3 Cards