Cincinnati Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals — Recap

📰Game Recap

The Cincinnati Reds, carrying a 49-55 record, overcame pregame odds to defeat the favored St. Louis Cardinals (53-52) in a taut 5-3 extra-inning contest. The Cardinals initially took the lead in the second inning with Fermín's sacrifice fly, but the Reds quickly responded in the third when Elly De La Cruz launched a 410-foot solo home run to left center, tying the game. St. Louis briefly regained the advantage on Herrera's 411-foot blast in the bottom of the third, only for Cincinnati's Hayes to even the score again in the fifth with a 387-foot homer, setting the stage for a tense finish. Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy turned in a strong performance despite the outcome, striking out nine and allowing just two earned runs over 6.0 innings.

The game remained deadlocked until the top of the tenth inning, which ultimately served as the decisive turning point. The Reds broke the tie when Stewart singled to right, scoring Stephenson. Lowe then delivered a crucial blow, singling to left field to bring home both Elly De La Cruz and Stewart, extending Cincinnati's lead to 5-2. The Cardinals mounted a late effort in the bottom of the tenth, with Burleson's single scoring Wetherholt to cut the deficit to 5-3, but their rally fell short. De La Cruz was a key offensive force for the Reds, finishing with two hits, including his game-tying home run that accounted for his lone RBI, and two runs scored.