The season series between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals was undecided coming into the final meeting with each team boasting nine victories.
Dexter Fowler hit two doubles among three hits, scoring and driving in two to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-5 win over the Reds. The Cards swept the three-game series and prevented the Reds from taking the first season series since 2011.
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The Reds tied it in the second inning. Jesse Winker doubled. Winker stopped to visit thirdbase coach Billy Hatcher on Tucker Barnhart’s sharp single to righfield. Martinez pitch in the dirt eluded gold glove catcher Yadier Molina and Winker scored while Patrick Kivlehan was at the plate.
Bailey was smacked around in the third.
Matt Carpenter opened the frame with a single. Tommy Pham’s single sent Carpenter to third. Fowler’s second double of the game over the head of Phillip Ervin in center scored Pham and Carpenter. Fowler went to third when Barnhart, the Reds’ catcher, made a sliding catch of Martinez’ foul out. Molina lined to center and Fowler scored after the catch.
Winker singled to open the fourth. Ervin made it a one-run game by lining his third home run into the leftfield stands. Barnhart and Kivlehan singled. Bryan Price sent Adam Duvall in to hit for Bailey, who pitched four innings. Duvall lined to deep right and the Reds' ended the inning a run short.
“It was tough to take Homer out. He had pitches left on the table. In that situation I had to take a shot,” Price said. “We battled. They got some fringe pitches. We needed to have a big inning because our bullpen couldn’t stop them “
Bailey, who is finishing the season after missing 2 1/2 months, is trying to get his form back. He would have liked to continue.
“It was Bryan decision and it’s not mine to question," Bailey said. "I was battling for sure. I didn’t get any breaks, a double play a borderline pitch but that’s not an excuse. Sometimes you can get through if you get a break here or there.”
He wants a normal off season for the first time in years to feel better when he takes the mound.
“It’s still a toss up with my stuff when I go out there. I have one start left. I hope to finish strong," Bailey said.
The Reds turned the game over to the bullpen. St. Louis stuck with Martinez on the mound.
The Cardinals got some breathing room off Michael Lorenzen in the seventh. Jose Martinez singled and scored on Molina’s long double, beating Ervin’s relay to Scooter Gennett. Kolton Wong’s slow ground ball to first allowed Molina to score to make it a 6-3 game.
Scott Schebler hit his 28th home run in the eighth. Zack Cozart’s single knocked Carlos Martinez out of the game. Lyons struck out Votto and Gennett looking.
The Cards scored two ninth inning runs off Raisell Iglesias to add a cushion.
Former Red Zach Duke pitched the ninth for St. Louis. He gave up Schebler’s 29th home run to lead off the inning. It was Schebler's third multi-home run game. He is coming off a mid season injury.
“I got that first one pretty good. Martinez got a couple pitches in on me and Wong made a nice play. The last bat, he just threw me a pitch where I was expecting it," Schebler said. “The second half was disappointing for me personally. If I look at it the right way and finish strong, coming back may be the thing that makes me a good player.”
Duke finished the ninth with no further scoring.
Bryan Price
“Homer got the first two outs on three pitches. It was labor intensive after that. I don’t think he threw the ball bad.”
Homer Bailey
Scott Schebler
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