Winn's career-high 3 extra-base hits back Leahy's strong start

CINCINNATI -- In a stadium environment typically fit for offense, Masyn Winn was something of a rarity on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park for the manner in which he found his game at the plate.

Providing the bulk of the punch in a 3-0 Cardinals win over the Reds, the rising Cardinals shortstop provided a home run and a pair of doubles to pace the St. Louis lineup.

The eruption at the dish marked Winn’s first career game with three extra-base hits.

Winn scored twice in the win, also crossing the plate on an RBI double by José Fermín in the seventh. That run, and the Joshua Báez sacrifice fly in the eighth, were bonus tallies, as the Cardinals’ sterling night on the mound made the insurance unnecessary.

If you look at the box score, but hide the pitch count, Kyle Leahy was a model of efficiency.

He allowed just three hits. He didn’t permit a run. He didn’t walk anybody.

Yet, the Reds had him out of the game after five innings and 90 pitches.

It was a collective approach from the Cincinnati lineup that produced that result. But if you’re looking to pin Leahy’s oddly strenuous scoreless start on one culprit, it starts with Dane Myers.

The Cardinals have only been in town for two days, but that’s all the time that Myers has needed to become a bona fide thorn in their side. After homering in both games of Monday’s doubleheader split, Myers made an impact Tuesday before even reaching base.

Leahy needed 11 pitches to dispose of Myers on a groundout to end a lengthy battle in the bottom of the second.

The at-bat was emblematic of the arduous nature of Leahy’s otherwise solid outing, as it marked one of six different full counts around which the Cardinals starter had to navigate.