Joey Votto belted his eighth home run of the season with two runners on off Miles Mikolas in a four-run third inning to pace the Reds to a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
"It is exciting that Votto got some results from making some minor adjustments. I think he's seeing the ball real well," David Bell said.
It was the eighth series win against the Cardinals in the last 22 tries.
"Coming off the All-Star break, they beat us a couple of times in St. Louis," Bell said. "Then come back and win a series against a really good team. It keeps us going in the right direction."
Tyler Mahle started for the Reds after being activated from the Injured List from a strained right shoulder.
Mahle retired the first eight Cardinal batters before issuing a walk to Andrew Knizner, the ninth batter in the lineup.
Nick Senzel reached base on an infield single to lead off the fourth against Mikolas. One out later Tyler Naquin singled. Brandon Drury's bloop single loaded the bases. Tommy Pham flirted with a grand slam but Lars Nootbaar collected the long fly in the extreme right field corner. Votto delivered the other runners with an opposite field home run into the first row of the left field stands.
"It was a really good sign for me. I've been struggling against all kinds of pitches," Votto said. "I haven't really been driving the ball well to left center. It was good to do it on an off speed pitch. Hitting the ball the opposite way opens up the rest of the field. It is part of my game."
Mahle walked Tyler O'Neill to open the Cardinals' fourth. Paul Goldschmidt deposited his 23rd home run of the season into the right field bleachers. It was the third of the series for the Cardinals' first baseman.
"Goldschmidt hits mistakes," Mahle. "The two balls he hit were mistakes. He's a great hitter. I disagree that just because it was Goldschmidt, it's ok. My job is to make pitches."
The Reds got the runs back in the bottom of the inning.
Mikolas walked Mike Moustakas. Matt Reynolds, who gave Jonathan India a day off, singled off the second base bag, sending Moustakas to third. Mikolas nearly escaped, getting Senzel to pop to short. Michael Papierski attempted to bunt twice before he struck out but Naquin delivered an RBI single with Reynolds advancing to third. The Reds ran with Drury at the plate. Naquin took off for second. Knizner threw through to second. Naquin retreated and Reynolds crossed home plate before Naquin was tagged out. The Reds went into the sixth with a 6-2 lead.
"It was a tough decision with Drury hitting." Bell said "A lot of times they don't throw through. It was big to get one run. You'd like to get two but that was a big run."
Goldschmidt struck again with a solo home run into right field. It is the 22nd multi home run game of his career.
Mahle completed six innings with Goldschmidt's home runs the only hits he allowed. He walked three and struck out five.
"Probably, I wasted some pitches, like some off speed that I couldn't get over, like walking Kninzer, but I was happy with my fastball and the outcome," Mahle said.
Alexis Diaz took care of the top of the Cardinals order in the eight in 1-2-3 fashion.
Hunter Strickland pitched the scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save in seven tries.
Mahle has been mentioned in trade rumors as the trade deadline approaches on August 2. While Mahle reads the rumors, he doesn't dwell on them.
"It was good to have Tyler Mahle back," Bell said. "He could have gone farther just watching him but it was a good place to take him out. I nice that we didn't have to push him."
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