Ervin flirts with cycle as Reds take nightcap

ST. LOUIS -- The Reds built two-run leads in each of their first three games against the Cardinals this weekend only to see each overcome. After the Reds surrendered their fourth such lead of the weekend on Sunday night, they built another. This one would hold up, leading to a 5-3 victory over St. Louis to salvage one of the weekend’s four contests.

After Cincinnati moved ahead 2-0 in the top of the third inning, the Cardinals scored three runs to claim the lead in the bottom half of the frame. The Reds countered the St. Louis rally with offensive resiliency and a strong performance in the middle innings by Luis Castillo. He didn’t allow a run after the third and pitched around his own throwing error in the fifth, which was the third official miscue of the day by a Reds pitcher.

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“When you lost three games, you feel bad. The main thing is to go out there and compete and try to win one. That’s what I was thinking about, just go 100 percent and try to get people out and just give our team a chance to win,” Castillo said through a translator.

Raisel Iglesias struck out all three Cardinals he faced in the ninth inning, finishing strong after a difficult road trip that saw him record three losses, including in Saturday’s second game.

“What really shows toughness is when it doesn’t happen and they’re able to come back and do what he did tonight,” Reds manager David Bell said. “I couldn’t be happier for him and he just deserves a lot of credit for showing that toughness. We needed it. We need the win and he attacked and was aggressive and it was great to see. I’m really happy for him and proud of him.”

Two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth paced the comeback, led by three hits from Phillip Ervin. He finished a triple shy of the cycle after hitting his fifth home run and eighth double of the season. He also drove in the Reds’ first run of the game with an RBI single in the second. Nick Senzel added a homer for the Reds.

“It’s important just to get insurance runs,” Ervin said, calling his big night “a confidence boost for me.”

Castillo struck out eight and allowed three runs over six innings.

“It’s never easy but there’s been outings when it’s been easier for [Castillo] than it was tonight,” Bell said. “It could’ve gone the other way on him a couple times. And that’s when he really locked it in and got after it and was competing and shut it down right there.

“He was able to make that adjustment. He was able to cruise for a couple innings and finish really strong. Those outings for me are more impressive than when everything’s working perfectly. A lot of toughness.”

Eugenio Suárez left the game in the fifth inning after being hit on the bottom of the left hand by a pitch from Cardinals starter Daniel Ponce de Leon. Suarez will be evaluated in Cincinnati on Monday morning after swelling in the hand subsides, but he said that he was able to move his hand and fingers.

Reds hitting coach Turner Ward was ejected by home-plate umpire Bill Miller in the top of the seventh for arguing balls and strikes. It was the 23rd ejection for the Reds this season.

Before being removed for pinch-runner Michael Lorenzen in the ninth, first baseman Joey Votto had been in the game for every pitch thrown across both doubleheaders. He was the only player to appear in each inning of this grueling series.

“Our starters wanted to be in there, and they wouldn’t let me take them out,” Bell joked.

“That’s how important these games are and they grinded it out. I’m really happy for our team that we came out with a win in the last of the four when these guys have given everything they have for two days.”