Cardinals shut out Reds, 2-0 – The Lima News

ST. LOUIS (AP) – JA Happ can finally get a good night’s sleep.

The St. Louis southpaw threw a 5-1 / 3 shutout in the Cardinals’ 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Nolan Arenado hit a homerun for the second in a row and Happ combined with four other pitchers on a five-hit shutout.

St. Louis won four of six. The Cardinals started the day two games behind Cincinnati and San Diego for the last wild card spot in the NL. Cincinnati, who won the series opener, lost five of seven.

Happ lasted just one inning and allowed seven runs on eight hits in the career-worst outing of a 12-2 loss to Cincinnati on September 1.

This performance remained engraved in his mind.

“It cost me several nights of sleep,” Happ said. “You do your best to rinse it out, easier said than done. You have an exit like this, you want to do everything to get it back.

Happ was acquired from Minnesota on the trade deadline. He compiled a 3-0 record in August before this hammering by the Reds.

“I’m able to perform a little better on both sides today,” Happ said.

Arenado hit a two-run homer in the first against Sonny Gray (7-7), who then struck out the next 14 batters. Arenado, who has 31 home runs, also scored in the eighth inning of the Cardinals’ 6-4 win on Saturday night.

“Big hits from our favorite player,” reliever TJ McFarland said. “It’s huge.”

Luis Garcia, McFarland, Genesis Cabrera and Giovanny Gallegos finished, Gallegos recording their eighth save on 15 occasions.

McFarland gave Asdrubal Cabrera his way into a late-inning double play in the seventh.

The bullpen allowed just three hits in 3 or 2 innings and combined for six strikeouts without a walk.

“It’s a huge win, we have a lot of momentum right now,” said McFarland.

Gray allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings. He took out six and walked one.

“Only one pitch touched me today,” said Gray. “It was a 2-0 heater. I wouldn’t have done anything different.

Both teams remain optimistic as the season heads into the final three weeks. St. Louis manager Mike Shildt compared the playoff race to a horse race.

“At the end of the stretch, they come in and we have some closing speed,” Shildt said.

Cincinnati infielder Jonathan India loves the Reds’ chances.

“We are fine, we are not depressed at all,” India said. “We’re going to be fine.”

St. Louis infielder Matt Carpenter, who was not in the lineup, was sent off in the fourth inning after an Arenado hit was called as a strike.

HAPPY DAYS

The Cardinals have won nine of their last 12 home games. They are 15-9 at home in afternoon competitions this season.

THE STRIKE ENDS HERE

The Reds have won 10 of 19 games against St. Louis this season, giving them a series victory for the first time since 2011 when they compiled a 9-6 record.

TRAINERS ‘ROOM

Reds: OF Tyler Naquin was excluded from the competition due to rib pain suffered when he collided with teammate Jose Barrero on Saturday.

Cardinals: RHP Dakota Hudson continued her rehab with a Sunday night start for Double-A Springfield. He has not allowed an earned run in three previous starts in the minor leagues spanning 8 2-3 innings.

FOLLOWING

Reds: LHP Wade Miley (12-5, 2.89) will face Pittsburgh LHP Dillon Peters (0-2, 3.38) in the first of a three-game series Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Miley threw a hit on May 7 in Cleveland

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (15-7, 2.98) will face New York Mets LHP Rich Hill (6-6, 3.82) on Monday in the first of a three-game series in New York. Wainwright is 6-6 with a 4.95 ERA in 13 career starts against the Mets.