CINCINNATI — Sunday’s Game Report: Reds 7, Cardinals 1
Paul Goldschmidt got the day off on his 36th birthday on Sunday and the rest of the Cardinals’ offense honored him by taking the day off as well.
The Cardinals were held to just one hit and scored one unearned run in losing the series finale to the Reds in Cincinnati.
Their only hit was an RBI single by Andrew Knizner that drove in Nolan Arenado, who had led off the fourth inning by reaching on an error.
It was the first time the Cardinals managed only one hit in a game at Cincinnati since July 21, 1999.
The Reds hit four home runs in the game, two off of Miles Mikolas, after the Cardinals had won the first two games of the series.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals drew five walks in the game, three by leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar, but all of them were left stranded on the base as they went 1-of-4 with a runner in scoring position. Their only baserunner after Knizner’s two-out single in the fourth came when Nootbaar walked leading off the eighth … The hit by Knizner snapped his 0-of-18 skid.
On the mound: Mikolas allowed seven hits and was charged with five runs in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up the two homers in the span of three batters in the third, and then was charged with three more runs in the sixth. He fell to 1-6 in his last nine starts … The other two Reds homers came off Andrew Suarez, including one from Joey Votto, who was celebrating his 40th birthday … All four home runs came with nobody on base.
Key stat: This was the third time in the first six games on the current road trip the Cardinals have allowed four or more home runs. They had given up four or more homers only four times total since the start of the 2021 season until this trip began.
Worth noting: Votto’s homer was the 36th of his career against the Cardinals, the most by any opposing active player … The Cardinals have won only five of their last 42 games in which they gave up at least four homers, dating back to 2009 … Eighteen of the last 21 homers allowed by the Cardinals have come with nobody on base.
Looking ahead: The road trip will continue on Monday night in Baltimore with the first of three games against the Orioles. Dakota Hudson will get the start. Jack Flaherty is not scheduled to pitch against his former team during the series.
