Austin Hays hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to help the host Cincinnati Reds end a five-game losing streak with a 7-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday.
Winner Brady Singer (12-9) went six innings, giving up five hits and three runs. The right-hander struck out eight and had no walks in 102 pitches.
It was Singer’s 13th quality start and the Reds have won 11 of those games. He has also now gone six or more innings in six of his last seven starts.
Emilio Pagan collected his 26th save with a scoreless ninth inning. The right-hander allowed a leadoff infield single, but then struck out three straight to seal the win.
St. Louis starter Andre Pallante (6-13) took the loss, going five innings, allowing six hits and five runs, only two of which earned. The right-hander walked four and struck out six in 95 pitches.
The game was tied 3-3 when Elly De La Cruz led off the fifth with a double down the left-field line. Hays followed with his 12th home run.
The Cardinals jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first when Nolan Gorman drove in Lars Nootbar with a sacrifice fly and Thomas Saggrese singled in Ivan Herrera.
The Reds took the lead in the second when Ke’Bryan Hayes singled in Gavin Lux and TJ Friedl singled with the bases loaded to score Hayes and Spencer Steer to make it 3-2 Cincinnati.
Herrera scored Nootbar on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to pull the Cardinals even at 3-3.
After Hays’ home run gave the Reds the lead, Cincinnati added insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth.
Hays led off with a double and Hayes collected his second run-scoring single of the game.
Matt McLain also homered for the 13th time, and second time in two games, in the bottom of the eighth.
St. Louis rookie catcher Jimmy Crooks recorded his first major league hit with a leadoff home run in the seventh.
