And they did it with a measly, shallow fly ball — aided, of course, by a pair of two-run home runs by Joey Votto, Mr. Fountain of Youth.
The game-breaker came in the eighth inning and it came on the spindly legs of Billy Hamilton, without benefit of a hit.
In fact, the Reds had only four hits to 10 by the Cardinals, but two of the four were Votto’s productive long balls.
With the score 4-4 in the eighth, St. Louis relief pitcher Jordan Walden made the fatal mistake of walking Hamilton on four pitches. The clever Cardinals then walked Votto intentionally, but the even more clever Hamilton sprinted to third on a wild pitch that was right under the pads of catcher Yadier Molina.
Todd Frazier then lifted a shallow fly to right field. A shallow fly is all Hamilton needs and he slid home with the go-ahead run after the catch.
“All he threw me were sliders,” said Frazier. “In the back of my mind I was looking for a fastball, but they had a base open and were trying to get me to chase one. The swing wasn’t the right swing, but it was just enough, just good enough with Billy over there on third base. You just have to be just good enough with a guy that fast.”
The bullpen and defense played major roles, too, as often happens with the Reds. Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth and on this night needed some defensive help, which he received barehandedly.
With one out in the ninth Matt Carpenter singled and became the potential tying run. Jason Heyward bounced one up the middle into shallow center field. A hit? Nope.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips stopped it with his bare right hand as he landed on his posterior in the grass. He flipped the ball wide of second base but shortstop Zack Cozart stretched and caught it barehanded for the out. Chapman then struck out Matt Holliday to end it.
“What a great play that was by Phillips and Cozart,” said manager Bryan Price. “It was one of those plays that had to be made and we made it.”
Votto now has three home runs and eight RBIs in the first four games.
“Any time we can get a win of the one-run variety against the Cardinals, we will take it,” said Votto. “I’m just trying to go out and compete and if that’s what comes out (two opposite-field home runs), that’s what comes out.
“I’m really happy seeing us play well collectively and certainly the start we’ve had is really exciting,” he added. “I didn’t have a great spring, but I felt good and I felt confident. Physically, I was in a good place, which is what I point to in terms of having success during the season.”
Votto broke into a broad grin and it was evident a bit of humor was about to escape his lips and he said, “I’m just one bad dude.” He later said he didn’t mean that in a bragging way, it was mirth, but, yes, right now Joey Votto is one bad dude.
Jason Marquis, making his first start in nearly two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery, had a wobbly start.
He gave up three runs and three hits in his first two innings, but Votto wiped away the problem with a pair of two-run home runs to left field in the first and third innings.
Given the 4-3 lead, Marquis retired nine straight. He put two on in the sixth but got out of it.
Kevin Gregg began the seventh and retired the first batter, but then gave up back-to-back singles to pinch-hitter Jon Jay and Carpenter.
Left-hander Manny Parra was brought in to face left-handed Heyward and he singled up the middle for a 4-4 tie.
Even though the Reds are 4-0, is there cause for some offensive concern? They had four hits and the only guys in the lineup who are hitting and getting on base are the top three — Hamilton, Votto and Frazier. From fourth through eighth, nobody is hitting above .200 (Devin Mesoraco, Jay Bruce, Marlon Byrd, Phillips and Cozart).
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