St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Box Score on Aug 18, 2019

Paul Goldschmidt belted a two-run homer and Tommy Edman also hit one out as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals recorded a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

For Edman, the homer highlighted his second three-hit performance in three games.

Lane Thomas and Marcell Ozuna each drove in a run for the Cardinals, who earned a split of the four-game series against Cincinnati with their seventh victory in their past nine contests.

Tucker Barnhart ripped a two-run single to right field in the ninth inning off Carlos Martinez to trim St. Louis' lead to 5-4, but the right-hander struck out two of the next three batters to secure his 14th save.

Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty (7-6) saw his consecutive scoreless-innings streak halted at 23 after Eugenio Suarez launched his team-leading 34th homer in the first inning, but Flaherty flustered the Reds the rest of the way. The 23-year-old turned in his eighth straight start of allowing two runs or fewer when he permitted one run on three hits in five innings.

Jose Peraza worked a bases-loaded walk off Andrew Miller to trim St. Louis' lead to 5-2 in the seventh, but Suarez grounded into an inning-ending double play.

St. Louis seized a 2-1 lead in the third inning after Edman had a one-out single and Goldschmidt followed two batters later by sending a 3-1 curveball from Alex Wood (1-2) over the wall in center. Goldschmidt's homer was his team-leading 28th of the season and second in three games.

The Cardinals took a 3-1 advantage in the fourth inning. Thomas' single to center field plated Yadier Molina, who reached base after Suarez sailed a throw to first base on a routine grounder.

Edman sent an 0-1 fastball from Wood over the wall in left field in the fifth inning to give St. Louis a 4-1 lead. Goldschmidt followed two batters later with a double to right field, then came home when Ozuna's fly ball to center field was misjudged by rookie Nick Senzel.

Suarez, who returned from a one-game absence due to a thumb injury, deposited a first-pitch fastball from Flaherty over the wall in center field to open the scoring with two outs in the first inning. Suarez's 12th first-inning homer this season was the first run allowed by Flaherty since he permitted two in a no-decision against Houston on July 26.

The Reds were bolstered by the performance of right-hander Kevin Gausman, who worked the eighth and ninth innings and struck out all six batters he faced. In the ninth, he struck out the side on nine pitches.

--Field Level Media