Dateline: Cincinnati
Bryan Torres spent a lifetime, getting to the Major Leagues. His long awaited debut helped the St. Louis Cardinals in the process. He almost quit nine years ago but the player who started in the Milwaukee Brewers system at 17 finally broke through against the Reds. He will turn 29 on July 2.
Ivan Herrera had two hits and two walks and Jordan Walker belted a two-run home run as the St. Louis Cardinals took the first game of the day-night doubleheader, 8-1.
The Cardinals bunched nine singles to and took eight walks to stake themselves to a commanding lead. Torres, who spent 11 years in the minor leagues before the joining St. Louis on Thursday, hit his first career home run in the ninth to add to the Cardinals margin.
Torres hit a total of 15 home runs in 11 years in the minor leagues. He was 2-for-4 on the day with a walk and his first big league hit, a single in the fourth inning off Paddack.
Nathaniel Lowe started the second inning against Andre Pallante, hitting his seventh home run of the season.
The Cardinals came back against Chris Paddack, who walked JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera with one out. Alec Burleson singled off the glove of Elly De La Cruz to score Wetherholt. Herrera went to third and scored on a fielder's choice by Jordan Walker.
Paddack fell to 0-6 on the season. His ERA dropped to under seven at 6.86.
"I thought we filled up the zone early," Paddack said. "I was 9-for-9 on first pitch strikes to start the game. Then you see me start to fall behind in counts. I can live with the singles. I can't live with the three walks. Those are things I can control better than things, I've been doing. Whenever I try to be too fine, the game speeds up. When you're out of the zone, you have to work harder and bad things tend to happen."
The Cardinals hit four singles to score a run and load the bases with one out. Herrera hit a one-hop back to Paddack, who took the force at home. Tyler Stephenson completed the double play, throwing Herrera out a first.
Paddack pitched five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, all singles and three walks. He struck out five.
"I think what he's showing is something to like there. He got ahead 1-2 and 0-2 and left something that got way too much of the plate," Francona said. "He had two balls that were really hit hard. One ball Lowe couldn't quite get to. The other skipped on the grass in front of Elly. In a game where we really needed a break, we didn't get it. We didn't make it."
Sam Moll took over in the top of the sixth and pitched a scoreless inning.
Connor Phillips took the mound in the seventh. Phillips walked his 27 batter in 26 2/3 innings, putting Herrera on base to open the inning. Jordan Walker hit his 14th home run of the season to extend the Cardinals lead to 5-1.
"He (Phillips) is not throwing enough strikes. We're trying like crazy to work with him on the running game and things like that. He's blessed with a really good arm and can spin it. Until he starts throwing the ball where he wants to. It cam be a struggle. The other day did great. He's got to follow that up and be more consistent," Francona said.
Pallente allowed just two hits in six innings. He walked one, struck out three and retired the last 13 batters in order.
"His fastball plays up and we knew that," Francona said. "He throws a splitter and a change up, one he left up to Lowe. He really pitched effectively and turned it over to the bullpen."
Ryne Stanek walked Eugenio Suarez but retired Spencer Steer on a line out to third base.
Jose Franco pitched the eighth for the Reds. He walked number nine hitter Victor Scott II and gave up a two-out triple to Herrera for the Cardinals' sixth run. Franco walked Masyn Winn and gave up Torres home run.
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