ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tommy Edman hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning for the first walkoff RBI of his major league career, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals over Cincinnati 5-4 on Saturday in yet another Reds bullpen collapse.
“Off the bat, I honestly didn’t think it was going to get out,” Edman said. “I was a little surprised when I saw it bounce in the bullpen, but obviously super-excited when I saw it finally get over the wall.”
Paul Goldschmidt’s streak of reaching base ended at 46 games with an 0-for-4 day for the NL Central-leading Cardinals.
St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina made their 316th start together, tying the Boston and Milwaukee Braves’ Warren Spahn and Del Crandall for second-most behind the 324 of Detroit’s Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan.
Wainwright, 40, was matched up against Cincinnati’s 22-year-old Hunter Greene.
Cincinnati led 4-1 in the eighth inning but blew a save for the seventh time in 17 chances, and the Cardinals won despite getting outhit 12-7.
“Guys competed so well, put us in a great position to win the game,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Really, our bullpen did a nice job to get us into that situation. I know it doesn’t always come down to one play, but certainly you feel responsible when you have a decision like that to make.”
Tyler O’Neill, who had three RBIs, hit a two-run double off Hunter Strickland that pulled St. Louis to 4-3 in the eighth.
Joel Kuhnel (0-1), a 27-year-old rookie right-hander, walked Dylan Carlson leading off the ninth but got Molina to ground into a double play.
Juan Yepez singled and Edman reached down for a slider at the knees, driving the ball to right-center for his sixth home run and giving the Cardinals their third…