CINCINNATI, May 2 (UPI) -- Javier Valentin singled home the winning run in the ninth Tuesday as the Cincinnati Reds posted a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnacion hit back-to-back homers for the Reds, who have won eight of their last nine games to improve to a Major League best 19-8 this season and increase their lead in the NL Central to two games over the Redbirds.
The Cardinals were without the reigning league MVP Albert Pujols, who missed the game due to back stiffness. Pujols suffered the injury last week and has been playing through the discomfort, but was scratched from the lineup for the day game after a night contest.
Newly recalled St. Louis pitcher Brian Falkenborg (0-1) suffered the loss, in two-thirds of an inning of work.
Todd Coffey (2-0) pitched two innings of relief for the win.
