CINCINNATI -- Alec Burleson reclaimed the MLB lead in RBIs by driving in two runs early and six St. Louis pitchers combined to hold the Reds to three hits in a 2-1 win on Monday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader at Great American Ball Park.
The game was a makeup for a rainout on May 24.
Luis Gastelum (3-2) struck out two in a perfect fifth inning to pick up the win in relief of starter Quinn Mathews, who tossed four one-run innings in his second career MLB start. Riley O’Brien struck out the side in the ninth to secure his 31st save in 36 chances.
Following a Dane Myers homer leading off the fourth, St. Louis pitching combined to retire 14 straight before Sal Stewart’s two-out double in the eighth. The Cardinals retired 18 of the final 19 Cincinnati batters.
The Cardinals took advantage of an early lack of command from Cincinnati lefty Kent Emanuel, making his first career MLB start and his first appearance of any kind in the Majors since 2024 with Miami.
Emanuel hit Joshua Báez with his second pitch and then walked Iván Herrera. But following Jordan Walker’s strikeout, Burleson drove an Emanuel sinker down the right-field line to drive in two runs and leapfrog Stewart and Washington’s C.J. Abrams for the Majors’ RBI lead with 92.
The Cards had a golden opportunity to add to their lead in the second. Blaze Jordan – fresh from handing over his spikes loaned to Báez to the Hall of Fame – tripled over the head of the center fielder Myers, who crashed hard into the padding. But Jordan was stranded at third when Everson Pereira grounded to third, Pedro Pagés struck out and Báez lined out to center.
Emanuel quickly settled down to give the Reds five innings on 96 pitches, allowing just the two runs on five hits, striking out four and walking three.
Mathews, making just his second MLB start and first since Aug. 1 at Toronto, struck out the first four Cincinnati batters before Myers singled to right with one out in the second. Mathews walked Michael Toglia and Matt McLain before Noelvi Marte popped out in foul territory and Ke’Bryan Hayes grounded out to third.
Myers got to Mathews again in the fourth when he launched an 85 mph slider deep into the lower bleachers in left for his fourth homer of the season. Mathews was relieved by Gastelum to start the fifth, one inning shy of qualifying for the win. The lefty was charged with the one run on two hits (both by Myers), striking out seven and walking three in four innings.