Field Level Media
Sep 2, 2018
Eugenio Suarez clubbed his 31st home run, a two-run shot in the 10th inning, and Brandon Dixon then added a solo shot as the Cincinnati Reds outlasted the host St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Sunday at Busch Stadium.
The burst came after the Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth against Michael Lorenzen (2-1), the Reds' fifth pitcher. However, the right-hander preserved the 3-3 tie with a strikeout, a forceout at the plate and a shallow fly out.
The loss dropped St. Louis one-half game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the National League wild-card race.
The Cardinals were also foiled in their effort to pick up a franchise-record 11th straight series win. They had not lost a series since dropping two of three games at Cincinnati in late July.
Joey Votto drew a walk against Cardinals closer Bud Norris (3-4) to lead off the 10th, and Suarez belted a cutter in the middle of the strike zone to left-center. Dixon followed with his fourth homer, also to left-center.
Reds closer Raisel Iglesias gave up a run in the 10th and had the possible tying run on base before he got backup catcher Francisco Pena to fly out to right field for Iglesias' 25th save.
The Reds broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh against Carlos Martinez when Votto hit a sacrifice fly to score Billy Hamilton, who had doubled to lead off the inning.
St. Louis tied the game in the eighth against right-hander Jared Hughes when Harrison Bader beat out a slow grounder to short with the bases loaded and two outs.
The Cardinals broke through against Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani in the fourth. Bader's double drove in the first run, and Greg Garcia dropped down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to tie the game.
DeSclafani went just 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out four.
Cincinnati scored twice in the first inning on two hits and three walks against right-hander Luke Weaver. Weaver went four innings, giving up two runs on three hits with five walks. He struck out four.
Hamilton and Scooter Gennett each had two of the Reds' seven hits, while Bader and Garcia had two apiece as the Cardinals tallied nine overall.
--Field Level Media