CINCINNATI –
Ben Lively claimed his first win as a starter since 2017, Kevin Newman drove in three runs and Cincinnati had the highest hit total in nearly a year in a 10-3 win over St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.
Missing rookie Matt McClain hit the second fight of his major league career and Spencer Steer had the best four of his career with two RBIs for Cincinnati, hitting 18, the highest total. team since scoring 20 goals against the Chicago Cubs on May 26.
Lively’s last win as a starter came as a member of the Phillies on September 29, 2017, against the Mets. As the Reds’ fourth-round draft pick in 2013, Lively spent time with the Phillies and two seasons as a pain reliever for the Royals before two years in South Korea.
“It’s the same game plan I had last week and all year,” said Lively. “Winning at the start is something special.”
Lively (2-2) worked six rounds, allowing five hits and two walks while hitting eight. It was the 31-year-old right-hander’s longest effort since April 20, 2018, when he also played six innings for the Phillies in a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh.
“He’s definitely set the tone,” said Reds manager David Bell. “Especially before that foul. He did a really great job with the ball fast in the area and did some swings and misses with the slider. It was just a start. great head.”
The Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar scored the hosts, hitting shots ahead in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.
Louis Steven Matz is still undefeated after missing four runs in the first round. Matz (0-6) hit a season-high 11 hits and matched the season-high by allowing six earned runs.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said: “Most shots were taken by him with all of his throws, and he hit the mark. “Not the outing we needed. He threw a lot of pitches in the area. Left a lot of pitches.”
The Reds scored in the first half for the fifth straight game as Tyler Stephenson scored two runs in one leg. Newman’s double in two innings made it 4-0.
Steer said: “It was great to jump out in the first inning and score. “You feel like you get instant motivation.”
Cardinals right winger Oscar Mercado appeared to have robbed McClain of a basic strike in the fourth inning, but the ball bounced off his glove and into the stands to make a homer solo, lifting the lead. number up 6-1.
“I felt good, my confidence increased, and I was ready to go out there,” Matz said. “I took a step back today. I can look and work on some things. I feel like I’m in a pretty good position.”
Second Louis Nolan Gorman extended his career best-fight record to 14 games with a single fight in the third inning.
STRESS
The Cardinals are in the middle of a phase where they play 19 games in 19 days. With six games still before a day off, the schedule kicks in.
“The boys are exhausted,” said Marmol. “We have to dig deep and find a way to give the players a few days off. From a starting rotation point of view, today we wanted more innings.”
TEACHER ROOM
Cardinals: OF Dylan Carlson (left ankle sprain) does some twists Wednesday from the right side. He will swing from the left side in a few days. …. Tyler O’Neill’s (lower back strain) tee off Wednesday. He had two setbacks in his recovery.
Red Devils: TJ Friedl’s, who returned on Tuesday after missing 10 games with a left oblique strain, was given a day off on Wednesday to ease his return to action. He was on the bench.
NEXT
Reds RHP Luke Weaver (1-2, 6.54) will have his first game against his former team, while Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (2-1, 4.77) is looking for his first win at Great American Ball Park as of April 14, 2018.
