ST. LOUIS -- For the Reds to thread the needle necessary to come up with a victory in a bullpen game ahead of a doubleheader, each of the relievers trusted to carry at least an inning would need to find efficiency as well as zeros, or at least as close as possible to both.

After Ian Gibaut and Buck Farmer combined for three flawless innings in Thursday’s series-opening victory, there was reason for optimism, which built through almost the first two-thirds of Friday night’s matchup. Then, up to the plate stepped Albert Pujols.

The 698th career home run of the timeless slugger’s legendary career was a two-run shot against Raynel Espinal in the bottom of the sixth that tied the clubs temporarily before an eventual 6-5 Cincinnati loss.

“That was a ball that I tried to throw below the zone, but obviously it stayed in the zone, and he was able to get a homer right there,” Espinal said through team Spanish interpreter Jorge Merlos.

“It is a great atmosphere,” manager David Bell said of the scene at Busch Stadium, where the crowd rose to its feet every time Pujols approached the batter’s box. “These games are fun to play in, and our team literally gave everything they had to win that game.

“Obviously when you do that, it’s disappointing [to lose], but there’s no question that that’s how you play this game, and that pays off.”

Fernando Cruz, pitching as an opener again after beginning the game Tuesday vs. the Pirates, started the game with three consecutive swinging strikeouts in the first inning. He retired Nolan Arenado and Corey Dickerson to start the second before hitting Pujols in the midsection with a splitter, leaving Cruz bent at the waist in frustration before turning over the ball.

“The last thing I wanted to do was hit Pujols,” Cruz emphasized. “I grew up watching Pujols play; I was 9 to 10 years old. Now, pitching against him is like a dream come true.”

Reiver Sanmartin, relieving Cruz, allowed one run following an infield single and a throwing error by second baseman Jonathan India. Derek Law, following Sanmartin, retired all three batters he faced.

Espinal, next into the game, was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday after Justin Dunn, scheduled to start in place of the bullpen brigade, reported shoulder tightness while playing catch earlier this week. Bell planned to lean on Espinal for more bulk than his other relievers, and indeed, his 2 1/3 innings led the Reds.

“There’s been a lot of communication between the manager, the pitching coach and myself,” Espinal said. “They’ve told me with plenty of time, hey, there’s a chance you might come out of the bullpen. But things are very loose. You could be told one thing, you could be told nothing, but you have to prepare yourself anyway.”

“He’s done a great job,” Bell said of Espinal. “We’ve asked him to get out of his comfort zone by coming in in relief twice, and he’s done a good job. He really has. He has good stuff. He’s a good pitcher.

“He ran into somebody that’s not only a great player, but completely locked in and playing in the moment.”

Despite a tiebreaking home run by Kyle Farmer in the top of the seventh, back-to-back doubles by MVP candidates Paul Goldschmidt and Arenado against Gibaut in the bottom of that inning put the Cardinals on top for good.

“This was probably one of the top home runs I’ve hit in my career,” Farmer said. “The great fans of St. Louis cheering for Pujols and an electric stadium, coming up and quieting them was kind of cool.”

Jake Fraley added a two-run double in the fifth inning, and Nick Senzel doubled and walked.

Joel Kuhnel (one-third of an inning pitched) and Dauri Moreta (1 2/3 innings) also turned in scoreless performances from the bullpen.

Mike Minor is set to start Saturday’s first game, and Hunter Greene is scheduled for the second. Minor has completed six or more innings in only one of his past 11 starts, and Greene is making his first start back after a six-week stint on the injured list with a right shoulder strain.

The bullpen has been asked for a great deal in the first two days of this series. They are likely on Saturday to be asked for more.

“I thought [the bullpen] did a great job of handling their own,” Farmer said of Friday’s effort. “We’ve got to fight tomorrow. … You’ve just got to come out and battle. Early game tomorrow, who knows what will happen?”