Reds rally to knock off Cardinals 3-2

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

The Reds came in to this game on a four game losing streak. Thankfully they were able to put one in the win column against the dirty Cardinals. On a night when the offense struggled to produce runs (they left the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth), Eugenio Suarez drove in the winning run with a bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth. Suarez ended the night 2-4 with a walk, and his lone RBI was the game winner. Suarez only had one hit in his previous four games. Hopefully this is a boost of confidence that will help him finish the season strong.

Geno wins it! #Reds https://t.co/6QZaqbyzIS

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 3, 2016

Honorable mentions: Billy Hamilton went 2-4 with a walk and three steals; Brandon Phillips chipped in two hits; Scott Schebler was 3-5 with an RBI; Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias both pitched scoreless innings in relief.

Key Plays

• The Reds threatened in the bottom of the first, but ultimately came up empty. Billy Hamilton led off the game with a bunt single. He went to second on an error from a pickoff throw, and stole third with Zack Cozart at the plate. However, Brandon Phillips hit a ball to 3B and Jhonny Peralta caught Hamilton in a run down. Duvall struck out to end the inning.
• Yadier Molina hit a solo home run in the top of the second. Ugh. The Cardinals almost added a second run on a double by Greg Garcia, but Zack Cozart threw a strike to the plate to nail Jhonny Peralta (who walked earlier in the inning).
• The Reds tried to get things going again in the third. Billy Hamilton drew a two out walk, and then stole second with Zack Cozart at the plate. Cozart walked too, but Brandon Phillips stuck out.
• Randal Grichuk led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run. Later, Greg Garcia doubled again, and Alex Reyes moved him to third with a sac bunt. DeSclafani kept St. Louis from adding any more runs by striking out Matt Carpenter and Jedd Gyorko.
• Cincinnati finally got on the board in the sixth. Zack Cozart led off the inning with a single, and Brandon Phillips followed with a double. With runners on second and third and nobody out Adam Duvall hit a sac fly to left to bring home Cozart. Scott Schebler then singled to bring home Phillips and tie the game at two.
• Zach Duke replaced Alex Reyes to start the seventh, and the Reds almost took advantage. Ivan De Jesus Jr. singled to center to start the inning. Tyler Holt moved De Jesus to second on a sac bunt. Billy Hamilton then singled to give the Reds runners on first and third with one out. Hamilton swiped second, his third steal of the game, and Zack Cozart walked to load the bases. Unfortunately, Phillips and Duvall both lined out to end the inning.
• The Reds tried again in the eighth. Kevin Siegrist was on to pitch for the Cardinals. Eugenio Suarez and Ivan De Jesus both drew walks to give the Reds two on with two out. Jose Peraza came up as a pinch hitter, and he also walked to load the bases. However, Billy Hamilton struck out, and Cincinnati came up empty with the bases loaded for the second straight inning.
• After coming up empty in the seventh and eighth, the Reds gave it one more go in the ninth. Zack Cozart led off the inning with a walk off of Seung Hwan Oh. Brandon Phillips then singled to give the Reds runners on first and second with nobody out. Following a Duvall strikeout, Schebler singled to load the bases for the third straight inning. Thankfully Eugenio Suarez drove in the winning run with a single in to center.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Tucker Barnhart returned to the Reds lineup tonight.
• Bryan Price made two remarks of note in his pregame comments to Marty Brennaman. Robert Stephenson, who was just called up to the big league roster, will start on Monday. Also, Cody Reed will primarily (maybe exclusively) be a bullpen arm in September.
• As our own Wick Terrell noted, the Reds were the first MLB team officially eliminated from winning a division.
• Billy Hamilton is 23-25 in his career stealing bases off of Yadier Molina. He has 57 steals on the season. Hamilton also has seven games with at least three steals in 2016 which is the most in a season since 1988.
• Tomorrow the Reds and Cardinals will do it again at 4:10 ET. Cincinnati sends Dan Straily to the mound on Eugenio Suarez bobble head day. More importantly, it's also the Red Reporter/Red Leg Nation meetup!
• Tunes.