Sam Moll’s eighth-inning throwing error on Victor Scott II’s sacrifice bunt attempt allowed the go-ahead run to score for the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 5-3 to complete the three-game sweep in a battle of National League Central teams Sunday.
A pair of Cincinnati errors in the inning allowed the Cardinals to reclaim the lead.
Moll (1-5) began his relief appearance by allowing singles to Jose Fermin and Nelson Velazquez. That brought up Scott, who tried to move the runners over with a bunt. Moll fielded it on the third base side and threw to third for the force, but the wild throw went into foul territory, letting Fermin score.
JJ Wetherholt walked to load the bases and chase Moll. With Tony Santillan pitching, Ivan Herrera hit a chopper to a drawn-in Matt McLain, and the ball got away from the shortstop as Velazquez scored.
Moll received the loss after allowing those two runs (one earned) without recording an out.
Ryne Stanek (2-0) got the final two outs in the Reds’ half of the eighth to earn the win.
McLain went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs, giving him three in two days. Tyler Stephenson’s 3-for-4 day included a solo homer and a double. The two gave the Reds the lead in the third inning with back-to-back blasts off Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy.
McGreevy went six innings, allowing the two runs on five hits. He struck out five without a walk.
St. Louis gave McGreevy the lead in the fifth. Jordan Walker’s double off Chris Paddack scored Alec Burleson, and an out later, Bryan Torres followed with his second homer, but McLain’s homer in the seventh tied the game.
Rhett Lowder started for the Reds hours after being reinstated from the 15-day injured list for a shoulder issue. He went just three innings after throwing 70 pitches. The right-hander did not allow a run on one hit, but he did walk five to go with four strikeouts.
Riley O’Brien allowed a one-out double to Stephenson in the ninth, but that was it as he earned his 17th save.
