Noelvi Marte returned from an 80-game PED suspension and went 3-for-5 with a stolen base, three runs and an RBI as the visiting Cincinnati Reds routed the St. Louis Cardinals 11-4 on Thursday.
Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer and scored twice for the Reds. Will Benson snapped a 0-for-25 slump by going 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott (7-6) walked six batters, but he allowed just two hits and two runs in five innings.
Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, who suffered their second loss in seven games.
Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (6-7) allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Reds started the onslaught in the first inning on Jonathan India’s single and Elly De La Cruz’s triple.
Abbott walked three batters in the bottom of the inning and escaped unscathed. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out, but Abbott retired the next two batters.
Cincinnati increased its lead to 2-0 in the second inning. Benson hit a single and scored on India’s double.
In the third inning, doubles by Steer, Nick Martini and Marte produced two runs, and Benson’s sacrifice fly made it 5-0.
The Cardinals cut their deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the inning on Arenado’s two-run homer.
Cincinnati made it 7-2 in the fourth inning on a single by De La Cruz and Steer’s two-run homer.
In the fifth inning, Marte hit a single, stole second base and scored on Benson’s double. Stuart Fairchild hit an RBI double, advanced on a passed ball and scored on Luke Maile’s sacrifice fly to make it 10-2.
Singles by Marte, Santiago Espinal and Fairchild in the seventh inning made it 11-2. The Cardinals got two runs back in the eighth inning on RBI doubles by Brendan Donovan and Dylan Carlson.
–Field Level Media