Gavin Lux went 3-for-4, Jose Trevino homered and Nick Martinez allowed one run over six innings to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 3-1, Monday night.
Martinez (1-3) worked out trouble in fifth and sixth innings thanks to a pair of inning-ending double plays to earn his first win in six starts this season. It also marked Cincinnati’s first win in a Martinez start this season. Graham Ashcraft and Tony Santillan each pitched a scoreless inning before Emilio Pagan closed the door in the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
St. Louis put the first two runners on in the fifth before Trevino popped up behind the plate and fielded a Masyn Winn bunt and threw to third for the first out. Matt McLain then fielded a sharp one-hop grounder from Lars Nootbaar to start a 4-6-3 double play.
Lux, who doubled twice, and Elly De La Cruz both extended their hitting streaks to 12 games for Cincinnati, who won their fifth straight and moved three games above .500 for the first time this season.
Noelvi Marte also remained red-hot for the Reds, going 1-for-2 with an RBI triple and two walks. He is 16-for-34 with 16 RBIs in his last eight games.
The Cardinals fell to 2-12 on the road this season.
St. Louis jumped on Martinez for an early run in the first inning when Lars Nootbaar doubled to right. Two outs later, Nolan Arenado lofted a ball high in the air to left. Lux lost the ball in the sun as the ball hit halfway up the chain-link fence in left for a 1-0 St. Louis lead.
The Reds had doubles from De La Cruz and Lux in the first and second innings, respectively, but could not push a run across against St. Louis starter and loser Andre Pallante (2-2). The right-hander allowed six hits and three runs over six innings, striking out four and walking two.
Cincinnati finally got on the board when Jose Trevino homered over the Cincinnati bullpen in left center in the third inning. The homer was the first allowed to the Reds by Pallante in six starts and 16 appearances. The Reds broke the tie an inning later when Marte tripled home Lux.
