Shelby Miller The Latest Pitcher To Shutdown Reds

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Shelby Miller entered the bottom of the seventh inning with just 60 pitches.

The Cardinals made it look easy in a 5-0 win.   The Reds sink to a season low 10 games below .500 at 67-77.

The Reds had exactly two base runners at the time.  Brandon Phillips singled in the second inning but Jay Bruce hit into a double play.  Devin Mesoraco led off the fifth with a double and stood right there watching three teammates go down meekly.

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The Reds starter Dylan Axelrod threw seven pitches but departed with a strained right oblique.

David Holmberg brought his 15.63 ERA into the game and pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and two walks.  The walks were issued in the fourth as the Cardinals loaded the bases but Holmberg pitched out of it. 

"It was good to see him have some success," Bryan Price said. "We just want him to get comfortable up here.  It makes sense that he takes over Axelrod's starts the rest of the year. We won't have enough time to get him back."

Holmberg wasn't prepared to go into the first inning but maybe not having time to think about it was a plus.

"It could have helped," Holmberg said.  "It may not have helped.  I think being here the last seven days and working with Jeff Pico and Mack Jenkins to straighten out my delivery helped.  It was a confidence builder.  I knew I was going to be long relief but never thought I'd come in the first inning."

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Manny Parra entered the scoreless game in the seventh.  Pinch hitter and September call up Randall Grichuk doubled to open the inning.  Kolten Wong hit a ground ball into the hole at short.  Zack Cozart gloved it but his only chance was to throw Grichuk out at third.  Grichuk beat the short hop throw.  Miller fouled off two bunt attempts but succeeded on the third try.  Matt Carpenter broke the scoreless tie with a single to right.

Bryan Price used Sam LeCure, Ryan Dennick and Pedro Villareal to get out of the inning.  Dennick ended up with a strange outing.  He struck out the only batter he faced, Matt Adams, but Adams reached on the wild pitch to load the bases

Phillips second hit of the game forced Cardinal manager Mike Matheny to replace Miller with .Pat Neshek in the eighth. Miller threw just 81 pitches.

Bruce flied to right and Chris Heisey bounced into a double play.

Villareal walked Jay one out into the ninth.  Matt Hollisday hit a smash back through the box that caromed off Villareal that bounded past firstbaseman Brayan Pena into rightfield.  Jay was able to go to third.  Villareal sailed two practice pitches and had to leave.  Logan Ondrusek came in and Adams cleared the rightfield wall by plenty to make it 5-0.  It was the 15th home run of the year for Adams.