McCoy: Steer leads Reds to 6-2 win, series victory in St. Louis

The Reds recovered from a shutout administered to them Tuesday with a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium III.

Even though their chances to win a wild card spot are dangling by a frayed rubber band, the Reds are still breathing, although it is more of a gasp.

With the arrival of rookie Sal Stewart and an assortment of aches and pains, Spencer Steer’s playing time has been curtailed.

Steer had appeared in only two of the first eight games on the trip, but Francona slipped him into the lineup at first base and moved Stewart from from first base to third base.

Both contributed mightily as the Reds concluded the three-city trip 4-5 that included a rare series win (2-1) in St. Louis.

Steer drove in five of the six runs with a three-run homer and a two-run single. Stewart reached base three times with two walks, his first double and he scored a run.

Francona gave TJ Friedl the day off and placed Gavin Lux in the leadoff role, a role he likes. Lux lashed three singles and scored a run. He is 10 for 21 (.476) when he bats leadoff this season.

This came after he shed a 0 for 21 slump earlier in the trip.

And starting pitcher Brady Singer was at his best once again — two runs (one unearned), three hits, two walks and six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

Another error by shortstop Elly De La Cruz, his MLB-leading 24th, cost Singer a chance for his seventh straight quality start, but he did get his career-best 14th win.

Singer gave up a home run in the first inning to Alec Burleson and that 1-0 St. Louis lead looked like 10-0.

That’s because the Reds were facing Andre Pallante, 6-14 with a 5.23 earned run average, but against the Reds he looks like Nolan Ryan. In 18 career appearances against the Reds, he’s won six games with a 2.08 earned run average.

But he was his own worst enemy in the fourth when with one out he walked both Stewart and De La Cruz.

Steer picked on the first pitch and lined it 411 feet over the left field wall, a three-run homer that gave the Reds a 3-1 lead.

“Just happy to be back on the field and help contribute to a win,” said Steer, who was scratched from Monday’s lineup with neck spasms, forcing him to visit a chiropractor.

The first-pitch home run ambush came because Steer was expecting something to hit after Pallante walked two batters in front of him.

“That just puts the pressure on that pitcher,” he told reporters after the game. “When you get traffic out there, they feel like they have to make better pitches and that’s when they make their mistakes. It was great at bats by those guys (walks to Stewart and De La Cruz) to set it up and I got a mistake and didn’t miss it.”

Singer was breezing with a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning but he walked Lars Nootbar to open the inning. Ivan Herrera rolled a perfect double play ball at De La Cruz.

First he bobbled it, then rushed his throw and it sailed into right field and Nootbar scored to make it 4-2 and Herrera landed on second base.

Singer struck out Burleson and Nolan Arenado lined to right and Singer was one out from a quality start. But with left-hander Nolan Gorman the next batter, Francona brought in Graham Ashcraft, a highly effective pitcher against left-handers. And he struck him out.

The Reds came right back in the seventh with two runs against one of MLB’s best relief pitchers. Matt Svanson owned a 1.83 earned run average.

But with one out, Austin Hays singled and took third on Stewart’s double. Steer struck again, a two-run single to right to push the Reds to a 6-2 lead.

“I don’t think he even felt great out there,” said Francona, referring to Steer. “But I’ll tell you what, he played a real good game. I said to him the other night, ‘You’re not playing,’ and he said, ‘I’ll be ready.’ And that’s what pros do.”

Singer has won seven of his last 10 starts and the Reds have won have won eight of them.

“Didn’t want to give up that home run (to Burleson in the first), but I was able to bounce back and have some good command,” he said. “I felt good throughout the outing. I got in a little bit of a jam in the sixth (thanks to De La Cruz), but Ashcraft was able to help us out.”

The Reds open a four-game series at home Thursday night against the Chicago Cubs, then play three at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates before finished the season with three in Milwaukee.

Unfortunately for the Reds, Singer will only be able to pitch in two.

“We can look at the scoreboard all you want to see what the other teams are doing, but we have to do our job and have good games and put wins in the wins column,” Singer said.

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