It didn’t matter how many runs the Reds scored in the series opener vs. the Cardinals — that still counted as just one win. The team’s history at Busch Stadium indicated getting a series victory was no gimme.
What began as a promising outing by starter Homer Bailey went askew as the Cardinals’ bats and starter Jake Westbrook’s complete game equaled a 10-0 shutout over the Reds on Wednesday afternoon.
“I was hoping this would be different, especially after the first night,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
Cincinnati was held to one combined run over the past two games and was scoreless in the past 14 innings. That was in stark contrast from Monday’s 13-4 win, which was capped by a nine-run top of the ninth inning.
After back-to-back series wins at home vs. the Angels and Nationals, the Reds’ first road series goes into the loss column. Since 2003, they are 3-23-2 in the 28 previous series at St. Louis.
“Their pitching shut us down,” Baker said. “[Lance] Lynn was tough last night, and Westbrook was tough today. Anytime you get a good-pitched game like that back-to-back, it makes it tough to score runs and makes it tough to beat the opposition.”
Bailey had his own momentum coming into the day after he allowed just 10 runs over the final 48 2/3 regular-season innings last season and tossed six scoreless innings in his 2013 debut vs. Washington.
Bailey needed just 14 pitches over the first two innings, including a brisk six-pitch second inning. But with two outs in the fifth, St. Louis suddenly pounced. Jon Jay hit an 0-1 pitch just out of Shin-Soo Choo’s reach over the center-field wall for a solo homer. It snapped Bailey’s 23 2/3 regular-season scoreless innings streak, going back to 2012. After a Matt Carpenter single and Matt Holliday’s RBI double to left field, Carlos Beltran hit a 2-1 pitch to right field for a two-run homer and a 4-0 Cardinals lead.
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