Cardinals bats stay hot, sweep doubleheader with 9-1 win over Reds

By MATT PIKE

St. Joseph Post

After shutting out the Reds earlier in the day, the St. Louis Cardinals bats stayed hot in the second game of a double header, beating Cincinnati 9-1 in the nightcap at Great American Ball Park.

Unlike the opener to the day, where St. Louis scored a lone run in the first inning and the final five runs late in the ninth, in the late game all the Redbirds runs came in the first three innings of the game, first putting up a three spot in the first. 

Lars Nootbaar walked to open the inning and Masyn Winn, who homered twice in the opener to the day, singled to start the inning.  Brendan Donovan lined out to hold both runners  at their respective bases, but then Willson Contreras got the Cardinals on the board with St. Louis’s fifth home run of the day, and first of the nightcap, a three run blast to center field.  

In the second inning, the Cardinals hit yet another home run on the day, this time off the bat of Pedro Pagés to left field, the lone run of the inning, before putting up the final five runs in the third inning. 

Cincinnati struggled to record any outs in the third inning, first giving up a double to Winn and then a single to Donovan, scoring Winn.  Contreras followed up Donovan’s single with one of his own, before Alec Burleson struck out for the first out, but then Nolan Gorman was walked to load the bases.  With the bases loaded, Jordan Walker doubled, driving in Donovan and Contreras, with Gorman forced to stop at third, and forcing a pitching change by the Reds. 

With Brent Suter coming onto the mound the luck did not change, Pagés reaching first on a fielders choice and driving in Gorman, which was followed up by a Victor Scott II single bringing home Walker for the final Cardinals run of the game.   

St. Louis starter Steven Matz put together another good start, in just his second start of the season, but earned a no decision, going just four innings and striking out six over four innings and giving up five hits.  Gordon Graceffo pitched the final five innings of the game. 

Graceffo picked up where Matz left off, surrendering just two hits both in the sixth inning where Cincinnati scored their one run.  Elly De La Cruz leading the inning off with a single and scoring on a single by Santiago Espinal.  Graceffo struck out five batters and earned the win, the first of his career.

Winn (2-5) and Contreras (2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI) led the way hitting at the plate in the win.  The Cardinals have now won two in a row against the Reds after losing the series opener on Monday. 

St. Louis and Cincinnati wrap up their series tomorrow.  Matthew Liberatore starts the finale for the Cardinals against Andrew Abbott for the Reds.  First pitch is at 11:40am with pregame coverage being joined at 11:30 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.