Reds beat Cardinals 5-3 in 10 innings to win 3 straight road series for first time since 2023
St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Le
ST. LOUIS — Sal Stewart drove in the go-ahead run with a pinch-hit single in the 10th inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Sunday.
The victory capped a 6-3 road trip for Cincinnati coming out of the All-Star break. Since the break, the Reds, in last place in the NL Central, have won two of three against Colorado, Seattle and St. Louis.
Stewart's line drive to right field against Matt Svanson (2-3) scored automatic runner Tyler Stephenson and pushed Cincinnati to its third straight road series win for the first time since 2023.
After Eugenio Suárez was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs, Nathaniel Lowe extended the lead with a two-run single to left.
Elly De La Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes hit solo home runs for Cincinnati. Reds second baseman Spencer Steer left the game with right wrist pain after fouling a pitch off the end of his bat in the fifth inning.
The team said Steer would have imaging done and see a hand specialist on Monday.
Iván Herrera hit a solo homer, and Alec Burleson had three hits, a run scored and an RBI as St. Louis lost for the seventh time in 10 games.
Cincinnati Reds' Elly de la Cruz (44) reacts with third base coach Willie Harris, back, after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Le
Brock Burke (4-4) got Lars Nootbaar to foul out with the bases loaded in the eighth, then pitched a spotless ninth for the Reds. Rookie Julian Garcia earned his first career save after allowing the automatic runner to score on Burleson's 10th inning RBI single.
Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in six innings, allowing one walk and six hits— including the solo homers by De La Cruz and Hayes.
Andrew Abbott of the Reds also lasted six innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He had four walks and four strikeouts.
Up next
Reds RHP Chase Burns (12-1, 2.42 ERA) is set to start against Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (4-7, 4.60) in Cincinnati on Monday night.
St. Louis Cardinals' José Fermín is hits a sacrifice fly to score Alec Burleson during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Le
The Cardinals have not announced a starter for their Monday night series opener against the Cubs and LHP David Peterson (5-7, 5.97).
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