It's okay, as long as they still can't beat other teams. Reds lose, 3-2.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Jaime Garcia.  The St. Louis hurler went 6.2 strong innings, allowing six hits and two runs.  He also went 2-2 at the dish, including a double.  Honorary mentions go to Skip Schumaker, Scott Rolen, and Paul Janish.

Key Plays

• St. Louis got off to a flying start against Bronson Arroyo.  Skip Schumaker singled to lead off the first inning, and then Jon Jay tripled, bringing him in.  Albert Pujols then hit a sacrifice fly and Jay scored.  Cardinals lead, 2-0.
• The Cardinals tacked on another run in the second inning.  Brendan Ryan singled with one out, and then Jaime Garcia hit a double.  If Bronson had managed to get the pitcher out, Skip Schumaker's subsequent ground out would have ended the inning.  Instead, it was enough to score Ryan, and give the Cardinals would turned out to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead.
• By the third inning, the Reds started to look like they would make a game of it.  Paul Janish homered.  Cardinals lead, 3-1.
• In the fourth inning, Scott Rolen drew a one out walk, then scored when Jonny Gomes hit a deep double to left center.  Unfortunately, Gomes was thrown out trying for third.  Just because you can't hit the cutoff man, Jonny, doesn't mean other teams can't.  Even more unfortunately, Ryan Hanigan then singled, a hit likely would have tied the game.  Instead, Cardinals win, 3-2.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• The Cardinals scored in consecutive innings for the first time in seven games.
• Jaime Garcia has beaten the Reds four times, but Paul Janish's homer ended a streak of 22.2 innings without allowing an earned run.
• Garcia is 4-4 lifetime batting against Bronson Arroyo.
• The one thing Jonny Gomes had avoided doing this season was grounding into a double play... until he did that in the second inning.