CINCINNATI (AP) — Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer and Lance Lynn got past Joey Votto’s first-inning home run to win his fourth straight start as the St. Louis Cardinals eased past the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 on Saturday night.
Lynn (10-6) retired 12 of the last 14 batters he faced, walking Votto twice. The right-hander limited the Reds to three hits and a run with three walks and four strikeouts.
Seung Hwan Oh allowed a harmless two-out single in the seventh, Tyler Lyons struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth – including Votto looking to end the inning – and Trevor Rosenthal worked around a walk and a single in the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances.
The win was the Cardinals’ first in six games at Cincinnati this season and the first in their last six overall decided by more than one run.
Cincinnati rookie Luis Castillo (2-5) struggled with his control, tying his season and career high with five walks and hitting two batters while giving up four runs – three earned. The Cardinals collected just three hits with four strikeouts in his 6 1-3 innings.
Votto drove a 1-1 curveball into the right field seats for his 28th homer of the season, one shy of matching his total from last season.
DeJong delivered the Cardinals’ first hit and gave them a 2-1 lead with a two-run homer on a 1-0 fastball with one out in the third, his first homer since July 25.
The Cardinals pushed across two insurance runs in the seventh on Tommy Pham’s bases-loaded infield hit and a passed ball charged to Devin Mesoraco.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: OF Dexter Fowler took batting practice on Saturday. Manager Mike Matheny hopes Fowler can be activated by the end of the road trip. Fowler’s been on the disabled list since July 25 with a left forearm strain.
Reds: SS Zack Cozart is expected to be activated from the disabled list and start on Sunday. The All-Star starter has been on the disabled list since July 29 with a strained right quad. . RHP Scott Feldman’s sore right knee has improved enough that he could start in the next five days, manager Bryan Price said. . Mesoraco started on Saturday for the first time since July 30. A sore left knee had limited him to one pinch-hitting appearance.
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