Jonathan India, Alego Lopez And Jake Fraley Lead Reds Over Cardinals

 

 

 

The Reds exploded for four runs in the third inning against Dakota Hudson and rode the wave to a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Justin Dunn pitched four innings for the Reds.  The only blemish was the 11th home run by Tommy Edman in the third inning.

The Reds answered the run in the bottom of the inning against Cardinal starter Dakota Hudson.

Alejo Lopez opened the frame with a single.  Austin Romine, who played for the Cardinals earlier this season, hit his second home run to put the Reds on top.  Jonathan India extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single.  Jake Fraley doubled into the left field corner score India.  Kyle Farmer singled through the right side to send Fraley home.

Romine caught Hudson two or three times when he was with the Cardinals but the visual is different from the batter's box.

"Hudson has a really good sinker.  You have to decide which side of the plate you want to own," Romine said.  "He threw me a really good slider out over the plate, the pitch before that I laid off.  The next one he threw, I didn't try to do too much and used the right center approach."

Newly signed Derek Law relieved Dunn to start the fifth.

"Dunn had a little tightness in his shoulder.  It is something that pitchers deal with all the time," David Bell said.  "His velocity was down.  He's not injured but we want to be cautious.  We want him to keep going in the right direction.  He fought to stay in. I'm very confident he will make his next start."

Dunn did not pitch in spring training at all.  He didn't make his first start until June 3.  In his last two starts, Dunn has allowed three runs in 11 innings.

"My shoulder got a little tight in that long inning. I went to have a stretch and when I came back the decision was already made," Dunn said.  "The competitor in me was pissed but in hindsight it was the right decision.  This is far different than what I felt last year in Seattle.  I wanted to stay in but the wrong move and I could be out another 460 days.  I will work with the training staff."

The Reds started the fifth on singles by India, his second, Fraley's second hit and Farmer's single off the third base bag.   India scored when Donovan Solano hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

Law pitched two scoreless innings and Joel Kuhnel pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. Buck Farmer pitched a perfect eighth.

Alexis Diaz finished for the Reds in a non-save situation.