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Cincinnati Reds claim rare series win vs. St. Louis Cardinals

By Bucky Dent, The Sports Xchange
Cincinnati Reds Joey Votto jokes with St. Louis Cardinals Yadier Molina as he returns his bat to him after Molina swung and lost it in the third inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 29, 2015. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
1 of 3 | Cincinnati Reds Joey Votto jokes with St. Louis Cardinals Yadier Molina as he returns his bat to him after Molina swung and lost it in the third inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 29, 2015. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

ST. LOUIS -- Three times a season, one can count on the Cincinnati Reds coming into Busch Stadium and losing a series.

Until this week.

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Holding the offensively challenged St. Louis Cardinals scoreless for all but one inning of a three-game series, Cincinnati won a series for just the fourth time in the last 13 years under the Gateway Arch with a 1-0 verdict Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.

Rookie right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (6-7) throttled St. Louis on three hits and three walks in seven innings and right fielder Jay Bruce supplied the game's lone run with a leadoff homer in the top of the second inning.

"I'll tell you this, I came in here after the game and I haven't heard the clubhouse sound this jovial and excited," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It's a team that's had our number."

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Not this time, not with an offense that dented the scoreboard with just one swing in the series -- a fourth-inning grand slam by second baseman Kolten Wong on Monday night that gave the Cardinals a 4-1 win.

A second straight shutout was the least of St. Louis' postgame concerns. In a loss that could prove more damaging than a mere game, the Cardinals (64-37) also saw All-Star left fielder Matt Holliday go down in the first inning as he strained his right quad for the second time in less than two months.

Originally injured on June 8 in Colorado, Holliday missed 31 games before returning on July 17. He limped off the field and into the dugout while trying to beat out a double play ball. AFter the game, he underwent an MRI to determine the injury's severity.

"We didn't see anything that was leading in the direction that this was going to reoccur," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said of Holliday's latest injury.

With or without Holliday, the Cardinals' offense has been below average in the last 26 games, managing only 88 runs and hitting less than .200 with runners in scoring position. They had just three of those at-bats Wednesday night, none with a runner at third.

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Their last chance came in the bottom of the eighth after a two-out double by third baseman Matt Carpenter. But first baseman Mark Reynolds, who replaced Holliday in the lineup, bounced into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

Victimized by the lack of offense was starter John Lackey (9-6), who gave up only two hits and a run in eight dominant innings, walking one and fanning eight in his ninth straight quality start.

"John was great and it was a shame to lose a start like that," Matheny said. "It's one of those starts we have to capitalize on and we didn't."

After DeSclafani departed, J.J. Hoover worked the eighth and closer Aroldis Chapman pitched a clean ninth, ending the game with a strikeout of catcher Yadier Molina on a 102 mph fastball for his 21st save of the season.

Cincinnati (45-54) finished its six-game road trip at 3-3, posting its first back-to-back shutouts since May 31-June 1, 2013, in Pittsburgh.

"Last night was a good, clean win for us and Anthony pitched a great game tonight," Bruce said. "Both pitchers did a good job and we were able to edge them."

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NOTES: St. Louis CF Randal Grichuk (groin) was back in the lineup after missing the last two games. Grichuk was injured during Sunday's 3-2 loss to Atlanta while running the bases. ... Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto reached base four times Tuesday night, marking the 15th straight game he has gotten on base at least twice. That extended his club record once held by Pete Rose and three others. ... Cardinals RHP Jordan Walden (right biceps) moved to Triple-A Memphis to continue his rehab assignment. Barring a setback, Walden could be back with St. Louis within a week.

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