Oh surrenders three-run walk-off blast in 7-5 loss to Reds
CINCINNATI -- On a day when the Cardinals' lineup was back together, the bullpen couldn't hold on.
Seung Hwan Oh gave up a three-run homer to Scott Schebler in the ninth inning Tuesday night that rallied the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-5 victory in a back-and-forth game.
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There were four lead changes in the final three innings, with the Reds getting the better of it against a bullpen that hadn't allowed a homer since July 22.
"It was everyone on deck and you figure out how you can help the next guy out," manager Mike Matheny said. "When you're fighting to get back in it, you've got to use all your pieces. You take every shot you can."
Brandon Moss and Tommy Pham hit solo homers in the eighth for a 5-4 lead. Oh (2-2) escaped a bases-loaded threat in the eighth but gave up a pair of singles to start the ninth. Schebler, who was called up from the minors earlier in the day, connected for his second homer of the season and first game-ending shot.
Jumbo Diaz (1-1) fanned Oh with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth to keep it 5-4.
The second-place Cardinals are hoping to make a run in the NL Central now that their lineup is closer to full strength. Moss and Jhonny Peralta returned from injuries on Tuesday, and the Cardinals expect to get leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter back later in the week.
Instead, they fell to nine games back when the first-place Cubs beat the Marlins 3-2. It was the Cardinals' second walk-off loss in a row.
"It's hard, for sure, but they're painful just like the other ones are painful," said Adam Wainwright, who lasted five innings. "You don't want to get beat 11-0, either."
Moss and Peralta had doubles that accounted for a run in the sixth. Moss tied it with a leadoff homer against Blake Wood in the eighth, part of his three-hit game. Pham followed with his first career pinch-hit homer, the fourth by St. Louis.
Wainwright and Jedd Gyorko also had solo shots for St. Louis.
Cincinnati played its first game without right fielder Jay Bruce. Bruce and Adam Duvall were tied for the team lead with 25 homers when the right fielder was dealt to the Mets on Monday. Duvall moved from left field to Bruce's old spot and hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Kevin Siegrist for a 4-3 lead.
Cincinnati's Joey Votto had an RBI double among his four hits and extended his hitting streak to a career-best 16 games. Yadier Molina doubled and extended his hitting streak to 16 games as well, the longest by a Cardinal since David Freese hit in 20 in a row in 2013.
Wainwright hit his second homer of the season off Dan Straily but couldn't beat the Reds. Wainwright went 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA in July but lasted only five innings on Tuesday. He's only 8-10 career against the Reds in 21 starts.
"I wasn't terribly sharp," Wainwright said. "I had good stuff, but I was just a tick off in the timing."
UNHAPPY VOTTO
Votto wasn't happy with a fan in a Reds jersey who reached for a foul ball in the seventh, preventing him from making the play. Votto glared and tugged on the Reds' logo on the fan's jersey before heading back to his position. He later signed a baseball for the fan and stopped to pose for photos with him.
DUKE'S DEBUT
LHP Zach Duke, who was obtained from the White Sox on Sunday, made his Cardinals debut and retired only two of the five batters he faced, walking two of them. "I wasn't as sharp as I'm accustomed to be," Duke said. "I'll be better next time."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: Even as they get some stalwarts back, the Cardinals lost another. SS Aledmys Diaz went on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right thumb, hit by a pitch on Sunday.
Reds: SS Zack Cozart was a late scratch from the starting lineup with a bruised right ring finger, injured by a ground ball during batting/infield practice. Ivan De Jesus Jr. started in his place. ... RHP Caleb Cotham had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (6-7) has won his last four decisions covering seven starts. He's 3-1 in six career starts at Great American Ball Park.
Reds: LH Cody Reed (0-5) gave up six runs in five innings of a 9-7 loss in San Francisco on Tuesday. He's never faced the Cardinals.
