Reds Fall To Cardinals 5-3

Apr 7, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Tony Cingrani (52) throws to a St. Louis Cardinals batter during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Reds lose in St Louis again, surprised? No. Michael Wacha finally gave up a run to the Reds on Monday. It didn’t matter as the Cardinals continue own the Reds in St Louis, as both teams meet for the fourth time this season, with a win today, the Cards are 3-1 against Cincinnati.

Even so, the St. Louis right-hander picked up his first win of the season with six solid innings in a 5-3 Cardinals’ home opener victory over the Reds.

The game drew a crowd of 47,492, the largest attendance in the new Busch Stadium history, as the banner was hang for the defending National League champions.

Wacha allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out three.

The 23-year-old Wacha had a 21-inning scoreless streak against Cincinnati, dating back to last August, until pinch hitter Roger Bernadina doubled home catcher Brayan Pena with one out in the top of the fifth inning.

The Reds got the leadoff man on in each of the first four innings, but Wacha skillfully maneuvered out of trouble with ground balls. He induced double plays to end the second and third.

Cincinnati (2-5) made it interesting in the ninth against closer Trevor Rosenthal, loading the bases with no outs and then getting an RBI single from shortstop Zack Cozart. Pena struck out before pinch hitter Neftali Soto lined a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to two runs, but Rosenthal retired center fielder Billy Hamilton on a flyout with the tying runs aboard.

Catcher Yadier Molina provided an immediate lead for St. Louis,  hitting a three-run double off left-hander Tony Cingrani in the first. Third baseman Matt Carpenter and center fielder Peter Bourjos singled, and left fielder Matt Holliday walked to set up Molina’s double.

Cingrani, who yielded just two hits in seven shutout innings Wednesday night against the Cardinals, couldn’t command his fastball in the rematch. He needed 88 pitches to negotiate four innings, allowing three hits and three runs with four walks and five strikeouts.

St. Louis got its other runs off reliever Trevor Bell in the seventh. Holliday ripped a double off the base of the wall in right-center to score Bourjos, and right fielder Allen Craig had an RBI single to right-center.

Pena went 3-for-4 for Cincinnati, while left fielder Ryan Ludwick added two singles.

CF Billy Hamilton returned to the lineup Monday after not starting Saturday and Sunday’s games in New York against the Mets. He jammed his left middle finger Friday night while stealing second base as a pinch runner. Hamilton went 1-for-5 Monday, doubling to start the game, it was his first hit of the season.

The two teams are back at it tomorrow night, it will be Homer Bailey for the Reds and Lance Lynn for St Louis. First pitch is at 8:15pm.

Note: Tomorrow’s game will be shown on Fox Sports 1 only, no FSN Ohio telecast, if you don’t have it, catch the game on the radio (700 WLW).