CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds snapped their skid in dramatic fashion on Sunday, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 7–4 at Great American Ball Park. The win not only gave Cincinnati a much-needed boost but also evened their record at 68–68, keeping the NL Central race tight.
St. Louis struck first, plating two runs in the opening inning on a sacrifice fly from Nolan Gorman and an RBI single from Thomas Saggese. The Reds wasted no time responding, with Ke’Bryan Hayes and T.J. Friedl fueling a three-run burst in the second to grab control.
The back-and-forth battle continued as Iván Herrera tied the game with a sac fly in the third, but Cincinnati surged ahead again in the fifth when Austin Hays launched a two-run homer into the left-field seats. Rookie Jimmy Crooks delivered a feel-good moment for the Cardinals in the seventh, belting his first Major League hit for a solo home run to cut the deficit to 5–4.
That momentum didn’t last long. Hayes drove in another run for the Reds in the bottom half of the inning, and Matt McLain added insurance with a solo blast in the eighth. Cincinnati’s bullpen shut the door from there, preserving the 7–4 victory.
Brady Singer anchored the Reds’ effort on the mound, striking out eight over six innings while limiting damage after a rocky start. Cardinals starter Andre Pallante battled through five frames but couldn’t keep pace with Cincinnati’s timely hitting.
With the result, the Reds hold a slim edge over the Cardinals in the division standings, setting the stage for a heated September push. St. Louis, now 68–69, will regroup quickly as they prepare to host the Oakland Athletics on Monday, while the Reds look to build on their momentum at home.
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