LDN - Sports

Finnegan, Phillips propel Reds in rout of Cardinals

[August 05, 2016] CINCINNATI -- Walks have been a problem at times this season for Cincinnati Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan, an issue magnified while pitching in homer-haven Great American Ball Park. On Thursday afternoon, Finnegan wasn't handing out freebies.

Finnegan allowed two hits with no walks over six innings and Brandon Phillips had a pair of doubles and scored three times as the Reds cruised to a 7-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

It was the fourth shutout of the season for Cincinnati, which won a series with the Cardinals for just the fourth time in the past 12.

"This is the time when some teams might phone it in," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "This group hasn't."

St. Louis which collected five hits on Thursday, now trails the first-place Chicago Cubs by 9 1/2 games in the National League Central standings.

"It's August. You're going to have stuff," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "They talk about it being the dog days, and these are a good test because you're going to have some struggles."

Finnegan (7-8) allowed only two baserunners, with neither advancing past second base. It was the second straight start in which Finnegan pitched six shutout innings.

"I didn't have my best command," Finnegan said. "They hit some balls hard, but we had some guys to catch it. My big thing is to throw strikes. I had a lot of movement on the ball. (Today) was a confidence boost, definitely."

Finnegan was lifted from the game after six despite only 79 pitches. A few hard-hit balls in the sixth urged Price and pitching coach Mack Jenkins to pull the plug.

"Three balls on the barrel that inning," Price said. "We thought he was done. He had done his job and done it well. The bullpen was fresh."

Raisel Iglesias allowed just three hits over his two innings to keep the shutout intact. That extended Iglesias' scoreless streak to 22 2/3 innings.

Cardinals starter and former Red Mike Leake allowed two hits, including a double by Scott Schebler, to begin the second inning. Ramon Cabrera's single drove home the first two runs of the game.

Cincinnati increased its lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Phillips doubled and later scored on Eugenio Suarez's sacrifice fly to right. Phillips finished with three hits in the contest.

Finnegan who was acquired from the Kansas City Royals last July in exchange for Johnny Cueto, is an integral part of the Reds' rebuilding effort.

He cruised through the first four innings with only 54 pitches Thursday, retiring 13 straight in one stretch.

"He fell behind a few hitters, but was down in the zone," Price said. "It's the best slider he's had since he's been here. Nice to have three pitches to utilize. He found a way to make it work.

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Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips (4) talks with St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta (27) after Phillips hit an RBI double during the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Things unraveled for Leake in the sixth.

Adam Duvall walked and scored on Phillips' third consecutive hit and second double to make the score 4-0.

Duvall's walk was the first issued by Leake in 35 innings, the longest streak in the major leagues this season.

"Mike's going to live off the corners and the bottom of the zone," Matheny said. "His stuff's been good, but it's about making those fine adjustments. Those days he's really good, he's pinpoint and able to put every pitch where he wants."

After Schebler was hit by a pitch, Suarez doubled in the Reds' fifth run and Cabrera's RBI single made the score 6-0.

Leake (8-9) allowed seven runs on eight hits in five-plus innings.

"They were hitting some balls off the plate," Leake said. "I got behind early in some counts. That's a bad recipe, I guess. I don't know what it is. I still think I'm improving. I don't look too far into things."

NOTES: Cincinnati has won six consecutive series for the first time since 1999. ... Reds SS Zack Cozart missed his third straight start with a bruised right ring finger but is expected back on Friday. ... Cardinals INF Matt Carpenter made his fourth and likely final rehab start for Double-A Springfield on Wednesday and is expected to be reinstated from the disabled list on Friday when the club begins a three-game series against Atlanta at Busch Stadium. Carpenter has been on the disabled list since July 7 with a right oblique injury. ... Cincinnati announced the signing of OF T.J. Friedl, an undrafted free-agent from the University of Reno.

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