Friday’s Game Report: Reds 4, Cardinals 2
By Rob Rains
The Cardinals only allowed two hits to the Reds on Friday night at Busch Stadium, but that was one too many.
The second hit of the game was a pinch-hit grand slam by Matt Davidson which wiped out a 2-0 lead and gave the Reds the win over the Cardinals.
Davidson’s blast came off Tyler Webb after he relieved Genesis Cabrera, who had recorded the first two outs of the inning before it unraveled quickly.
Harrison Bader missed a fly ball near the wall in center field for an error, and he was originally charged with a second error on the throw, but that was later changed and charged to Tommy Edman for missing Bader’s throw. The error allowed Eugenio Suarez to advance to third. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases before Davidson’s blast, which went over the seats behind the visiting bullpen in left field.
It was the first pinch-hit grand slam by the Reds against the Cardinals since Barry Larkin did it off Steve Kline in a game on July 28, 2004 at Cincinnati.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals had only three hits, and scored both of their runs on only one hit, a bunt single … They loaded the bases in the third on a walk, the bunt single by Kolten Wong and a hit batter. After Paul Goldschmidt struck out, Matt Carpenter walked to force in the run … In the fifth, they loaded the bases again on three walks before Brad Miller drove in the run on a fielder’s choice groundout … The Reds retired the final 13 Cardinals in order.
On the mound: The only other hit by the Reds was a single by Suarez off Dakota Hudson leading off the second inning … Hudson was lifted after 4 2/3 innings after throwing 74 pitches. He struck out six, walked two and hit a batter … Cabrera was one pitch away from getting out of the sixth before he hit Philip Ervin with a 2-2 pitch that loaded the bases … Jake Woodford made his second appearance for the Cardinals and worked two perfect innings in the eighth and ninth innings.
Key stat: In the last 30 years, the Cardinals have now gone 30-3 in games in which they allowed two hits or less at home. Both of the previous losses were 1-0 games when the run came on a solo home run.
Worth noting: Yadier Molina played in his 1,990th game for the Cardinals, moving into a tie for third place in franchise history, trailing only Stan Musial and Lou Brock … After playing every inning in his first nine games in the major leagues, including three doubleheaders in five days, Dylan Carlson was not in the starting lineup Friday night. He come in as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and grounded back to the pitcher. Carlson is now 4-of-32 with the Cardinals, but the hit total is deceiving because of the fact that his seven hardest hit balls have all been outs.
Looking ahead: Kwung Hyun Kim will get the start on Saturday night, the second start of his career and first at Busch Stadium.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
