Gennett broke an 0-for-19 slump with a two-run double in the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park. A two-run double by Eugenio Suarez preceded Gennettâs hit.
The four-run seventh lifted the Reds to a victory on a night when it appeared they might get shut out by Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez, who allowed one hit in the first six innings.
Gennettâs hit came against reliever Kevin Siegrist, who relieved Martinez in the seventh.
âHeâs a good pitcher,â Gennett said. âReal deceptive. Tall guy. Heâs halfway to the plate already when he releases the ball. In that type of situation, Iâll swing at good pitches, bear down and just try to put the ball in play.â
Photos: Reds vs. Cardinals https://t.co/rmQdgea5MN pic.twitter.com/prCaZnniLA
â David Jablonski (@DavidPJablonski) June 6, 2017
The Reds (26-30) kept pace in the crowded National League Central Division, where thereâs little elbow room. Through Monday, more than a third of the way through the season, all five teams had between 30 and 26 victories. The Reds are three games behind the Chicago Cubs.
âItâs good. Itâs healthy for us,â Gennett said. âItâs definitely a tough division. Thatâs why everybodyâs so close because everybodyâs pretty good. When you have a consistent group of teams in the same division, thatâs what youâre going to see.â
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The Reds have won two straight games against the Cardinals. Prior to this game, the Reds and Cardinals had alternated wins in their last 11 meetings. It was the longest such streak in the history of the series.
The bigger news of the night was the Reds got a rare quality start. Asher Wojciechowski allowed two earned runs on eight hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six.
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This was the fourth appearance for Wojciechowski and second start. He allowed four earned runs in four innings in his first start May 30 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Wojciechowskiâs effort lowered the season ERA for Reds starters from 6.13 to 6.06. In the previous 19 games, Reds starters combined for a 8.45 ERA.
Wojciechowski got some help from the defense. Left fielder Adam Duvall threw out a runner at home in the fifth and a runner at third in the sixth.
âThat was huge,â Reds manager Bryan Price said. âHe may have saved the game with those two plays. He put us in a position to rally and not feel like we were too far behind.â
Army specialist Will Parker proposes on top of #Reds dugout. pic.twitter.com/LILuCqchD0
â David Jablonski (@DavidPJablonski) June 6, 2017
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