Sunday’s Game Report: Reds 5, Cardinals 3 (10 innings)
By Rob Rains
On the hottest day of the season at Busch Stadium, the Reds were able to cool off the Cardinals’ offense.
With a game-time temperature of 94 degrees and the heat index well above 100, the Cardinals were held to just three runs in a 10-inning loss on Sunday.
The game was tied at 2 after nine innings before the Reds were able to score three times in the top of the 10th to claim the victory.
All of the Cardinals hits came from three batters, three by Alec Burleson and two each by Ivan Herrera and Masyn Winn.
The Cardinals have scored three or fewer runs in six of their last seven games.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: A sacrifice fly from Jose Fermin drove in the Cardinals’ first run in the second before Herrera hit his 12th homer, and first since July 7, in the third … The Cardinals could not score again until the 10th, when Burleson singled in a run but the Cardinals left the potential tying runs on base when Winn struck out and Fermin flew out … They also left the bases loaded in the eighth and were just 3-of-13 with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: Kyle Leahy allowed two runs over six innings, the sixth consecutive start in which he has not allowed more than two runs. The last Cardinal starter to do that was Chris Carpenter, split between the end of the 2008 and the start of the 2009 seasons … Leahy had a career-high nine strikeouts and walked one. Both of the runs he allowed came on solo homers … In the 10th, Matt Svanson was charged with all three runs but two of them came after Justin Bruhl took over on the mound.
Key stat: Jordan Walker was 0-of-3 against Reds starter Andrew Abbott and is now hitless in 15 career at-bats against Abbott, the most times he has faced any pitcher without getting a hit. He is the only pitcher Walker has faced more than seven times without getting at least one hit.
Worth noting: The Cardinals announced that they have traded reliever Scott Blewett to the Athletics for cash considerations. Blewett made only one appearance for the Cardinals before he was designated for assignment when Hunter Dobbins was recalled from Memphis.
Up next: The Cardinals will begin a four-game series against the Cubs on Monday night at Busch Stadium. Matthew Liberatore is the scheduled starter.
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