Arenado, Gorman hit 2-run homers as the Cardinals beat the Reds 7-1
CINCINNATI (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Nolan Gorman each hit a two-run homer, helping Kyle Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 on Tuesday night.
Iván Herrera had three hits for St. Louis, which improved to 11-3 in its last 14 games. Paul Goldschmidt and Brendan Donovan each had two hits.
Gibson (4-2) pitched six innings of two-hit ball. The right-hander struck out six and walked two.
“He kept guys off balance,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “He pitched in enough on the front hips of lefties to keep them honest. His mix was really good. He was in control that entire game.”
Gibson has pitched at least six innings in nine of his 11 starts. His last outing was limited to four innings by a rain delay.
“Not every time am I going to go out there and throw up six or seven zeros but there are days like today that I can give the offense a chance to breath,” Gibson said. “It something that I take very seriously. There are some guys in the bullpen that could use some rest.”
Cincinnati had won a season-high four consecutive games. Will Benson led off the sixth with his eighth homer for the Reds’ first hit of the night.
Cincinnati left-hander Andrew Abbott (3-5) permitted six runs and seven hits in six-plus innings. He went 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in his previous four starts.
“For a while there, he was getting a lot of quick outs, kind of cruising and you look up and he had given up some runs by the end of his outing,” Reds manager David Bell said. “But really, It was really two pitches he made that he would want back. All in all pretty good start.”
The Cardinals jumped in front on Masyn Winn’s two-out RBI double in the third, stopping Abbott’s 14-inning scoreless streak. Winn extended his hitting streak to 17 games.
Herrera hit a one-out single in the fourth and Arenado followed with a drive to left for his fourth homer this season. It was Arenado’s first homer since May 13.
“It felt great. Obviously, it’s been a grind. I feel like today I got a lot of good work in there. It was cool to see it come into fruition,” Arenado said. “I care. It helps and it hurts. It’s kind of my kryptonite, my coaches tell me. I think that’s been frustrating is I feel like my work hasn’t been great. I made it a point today to make sure my work was going to be tip-top.”
Gorman added his ninth homer in the seventh. Gorman drove in Dylan Carlson, who reached on a leadoff walk.
The Cardinals played errorless baseball for the first time in 13 games.
Alec Burleson went 0 for 5 for St. Louis, ending his 11-game hitting streak.
TRAINING ROOM
Cardinals: OF Lars Nootbaar went 1 for 5 in his return to the lineup after missing two games with a tight hamstring.
Reds: LHP Alex Young was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Young, who had been sidelined by a back injury, pitched the eighth inning in his first appearance of the season. RHP Brett Kennedy was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Frankie Montas (2-3, 4.61 ERA) pitches on Wednesday. RHP Andre Pallante (0-1, 3.92 ERA) makes his first start of the season for the Cardinals.