Cardinals Win A Pitching Duel

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Nolan Gorman extended his hitting streak to 15 games, knocking in the first run of the game in the eighth inning to give the Cardinals a split in the series in a 2-1 win.

Lucas Sims got the first the first two batters out in the eighth but Lars Noobaar singled. Gorman came through with a shot over the head of first baseman Spencer Steer down the right field line. Brendan Donovan was intentionally walked. Paul DeJong drew a walk to load the bases. Sims threw a wild pitch that allowed Gorman to score.

Both starters had great stuff.

Former Cardinal number one draft pick, Luke Weaver, was ahead in the count all game and cruised through six scoreless innings. Cardinals' starter Miles Mikolas matched Weaver stifling the Reds through five innings.

"Goldschmidt and Arenado weren't in the lineup," Weaver said. "Goldschmidt was the trade piece so that would have been fun but its always a good thing when they're not in the lineup."

The Cardinals rested three starters, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Willson Contreras. Along with pitcher Steven Matz were the only Cardinals to have faced Weaver.

The Reds fell short of scoring in the first inning for the sixth straight game. TJ Friedl reached on an error by Tommy Edman at second base. Jonathan India singled Friedl to third with one out. Jake Fraley, who leads the Reds with 33 RBI grounded into a double play. Edman was able to tag India on the slow roller and throw to first to complete the DP

"We talked about getting in a rundown there to let the runner score from third," Bell said.

The Reds threatened again in the bottom of the sixth. Friedl and Matt McLain singled to open the inning, putting runners at the corner with no outs. India grounded hard to Donovan at third. Friedl left on contact was thrown out at the plate. Fraley flied out to left. Tyler Stephenson hit into a force plat to end the inning. 

"You have to go there. They're in double play depth. What you don't want to happen is them turn a double play and our runner is standing on third. You want to either score the run if they turn the double play or get to first and second with one out. You tip your cap there. They took the out at the plate instead of the double play," Bell explained.

It was the Cardinals turn to threaten in the seventh. Paul DeJong hit a ball to deep right. Stuart Fairchild caught it against the fence. Alec Burleson singled. Weaver hit Juan Yepez with a 3-2 pitch. David Bell brought Lucas Sims in to face Edman, who struck out for the second out. Luke Maile picked Yepez off first on a back pick.

"I felt competitive in the last inning," Weaver said. "The fly ball to right gave me a heart attack but after that. I got too down on the Burleson ball. We tried to go up. I got it down. Yepez had a really good at bat. I tried to do too much. I didn't know it was D. B. (David Bell), I thought it was D.J (Derek Johnson). I was getting ready to like turn a double play."

Drew VerHagen relieved Mikolas to start the eighth. Friedl walked with one out and stole second. McLain walked on a 3-2 pitch. India popped up in the infield. Giovanny Gallegos, a came in to face Fraley, who forced McLain at second to end another threat.  

Steer doubled off Gallegos with one out in the ninth. It was his second hit in a game in which he extended hit hitting streak to eight games. Senzel struck out. Fairchild singled to score Steer. Luke Maile struck out to end the game.