No-hit for seven innings, Reds rally past Cards in 9th

[July 24, 2018]  On a night dominated by seven no-hit innings from St. Louis right-hander Daniel Poncedeleon in his major league debut, the Cincinnati Reds rallied with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to upend the visiting Cardinals 2-1 on Monday at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds entered the ninth inning with only one hit, an eighth-inning single off reliever Jordan Hicks, and Cardinals closer Bud Norris retired pinch hitter Scooter Gennett on strikes and Joey Votto on a fly ball to left, thanks to a sliding catch by Marcell Ozuna.

But Eugenio Suarez hit a 1-0 fastball for a home run, and two singles and a walk later, pinch hitter Dilson Herrera smacked the first pitch he saw from Norris (3-3) for a game-winning single to center.

The first seven innings belonged to Poncedeleon, who allowed only three walks while striking out three. He left after seven innings, having thrown 116 pitches, 75 for strikes.

Poncedeleon, 26, was recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Memphis with three St. Louis starters on the disabled list.

The Cardinals, who fell to fourth place in the National League Central over the weekend by losing three of five games to the Chicago Cubs, broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning against Reds starter Luis Castillo. A broken-bat single by Yadier Molina scored Matt Carpenter when left fielder Adam Duvall's throw to the plate was off target.

Carpenter had doubled, his 12th extra-base hit in his past eight games. He homered in six consecutive games, a streak that ended Sunday.

In 5 1/3 innings, Castillo allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five. The Reds broke a five-game losing streak, including winning for the first time since the All-Star break.

Cardinals starting pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon (62) walks off the field at the end of the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Carpenter finished with two of the Cardinals' five hits.

David Hernandez, Amir Garrett and Jared Hughes (3-3) combined to throw 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief for the Reds.

Poncedeleon, a ninth-round draft pick of the Cardinals in 2014, is only 14 months removed from undergoing emergency brain surgery after he was hit by a line drive while pitching for Memphis.

On July 15 for Memphis, Poncedeleon threw a one-hit shutout, throwing 110 pitches and walking only two. For the season at Triple, he was 9-3 with a 2.15 ERA in 92 innings.

To make room for Poncedeleon on the active roster, second baseman Kolten Wong was placed on the disabled list due to left knee inflammation.

--Field Level Media

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