Martinez tosses gem as Cardinals sweep Reds

[April 16, 2018]  Carlos Martinez fired seven shutout innings Sunday while Harrison Bader supplied a two-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals polished off a four-game sweep of the reeling Cincinnati Reds with a 3-2 win at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Martinez (2-1) permitted two hits and four walks, but fanned 11 in his third straight quality start. Two relievers collected the final six outs, with Bud Norris working the ninth for his third save despite a leadoff homer by Adam Duvall.

Homer Bailey (0-3), who entered the game allowing a collective .459 average to the St. Louis lineup, pitched a good game but did not get enough support. In seven innings, he allowed just four hits and three runs, walking two and whiffing four.

The Cardinals upped their record to 9-7 with their series sweep, while the Reds suffered their eighth straight loss and dropped to an MLB-worst 2-13.

After a 2:36 rain delay before first pitch, St. Louis got the only runs it needed in the second. Giving left fielder Marcell Ozuna his first day off of the season, Bader drilled a 389-foot homer to right-center with Greg Garcia aboard.

The Cardinals scored their final run in the seventh when Jose Martinez doubled with one out and rode home on Yadier Molina's RBI single. Molina was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Billy Hamilton led off the eighth with his first homer against reliever Tyler Lyons to get Cincinnati on the board.

The Reds got the potential winning runs on base in the ninth when Tucker Barnhart bunted for a hit and Devin Mesoraco was hit by a pitch. But Norris induced a game-ending lineout from Hamilton.

--Field Level Media

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