Bruce, Reds edge Cardinals 3-2 after rain delay

[May 01, 2010]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Jay Bruce had three hits and two RBIs, leading the Cincinnati Reds past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Friday night after a 2 1/2-hour rain delay for their season-best fifth consecutive victory.

The Reds, who have won seven of 10, also snapped St. Louis' five-game winning streak.

The game was delayed 2 hours, 32 minutes in the middle of the sixth inning by rain and severe weather.

Bruce's single in the sixth off starter Brad Penny brought in Joey Votto with the tying run. One batter later, Jonny Gomes gave the Reds a 3-2 lead with a single to left field.

Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. Nick Masset got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth when David Freese grounded into a double play.

Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances. He gave up a two-out double to pinch-hitter Joe Mather but got Tyler Greene on a game-ending grounder.

Penny (3-1) entered with a 0.94 ERA. He gave up eight hits and three earned runs in six innings. He walked five, and his ERA rose to 1.56.

St. Louis went ahead on a two-run single by Matt Holliday in the third, his first RBIs since April 19.

Bruce singled home a run in the fourth, and Votto started Cincinnati's two-run sixth with a one-out walk. Scott Rolen grounded out, sending Votto to second, and Bruce followed with an RBI single. Orlando Cabrera singled before Gomes put the Reds in front.

The Cardinals had won the opener of their previous seven series this season.

Albert Pujols, Holliday and Brendan Ryan each had two hits for the Cardinals, who stranded eight runners.

NOTES: Yadier Molina finished April with 15 RBIs, the second-most by a St. Louis catcher in the first full month of the season. Ted Simmons drove in 20 in 1977. ... The Reds have lost 12 of 17 at Busch Stadium. ... Pujols was issued his seventh intentional walk in the third inning. ... St. Louis outfielder Jon Jay, in his first major league start, threw out Bruce at the plate on a short fly to right to end the second inning.

[Associated Press]

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