ST. LOUIS (AP) — Masyn Winn and Brendan Donovan each homered to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on Thursday.
Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (13-9) was perfect through five innings before Jake Fraley singled to leadoff the sixth. He finished the day allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out nine batters in six innings.
Andrew Kittredge pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief before JoJo Romero got the final four outs for his first save of the season.
Thomas Saggese singled to center to drive in Lars Nootbaar for his first career RBI in the eighth inning after getting his first major league hit in the sixth.
Donovan hit a two-run homer to right field pinch hitting for Jordan Walker in the seventh inning to expand the St. Louis lead to 4-1. It was his first career pinch hit home run and career-best 12th homer of the season.
Winn scored on Nootbaar’s sacrifice fly off Carson Spiers (5-6) in the bottom of the sixth to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
Jonathan India hit an RBI single to left field to tie the game 1-1 in the sixth inning.
Winn hit a hanging slider from Reds starter Jakob Junis into the left-field stands for his 13th homer of the season in the bottom of the third inning to put the Cardinals ahead 1-0.
Junis allowed one run on three hits and struck out three in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: LF Will Benson left the game in the top of the sixth inning with a left middle finger contusion after getting hit attempting to bunt. Amed Rosario finished Benson’s at bat and struck out.
UP NEXT
Reds: Manager David Bell had not announced a starter to face Twins RHP Bailey Ober (12-6, 3.77 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series in Minneapolis on Friday night.
Cardinals: Manager Oliver Marmol had not named a starter to face Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-11, 4.09 ERA) to start a three-game series in Toronto on Friday night.
