Lars Nootbaar's pinch-hit homer lifts Cards over Reds

Lars Nootbaar belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the eighth to erase a one-run deficit and rally the St. Louis Cardinals past the Cincinnati Reds, 6-5, on Saturday afternoon in St. Louis.

Nootbaar, who missed the first two months of the season with double heel surgery before returning Friday night, connected off Cincinnati reliever Sam Moll (1-4) after Jose Fermin started the rally with a single to open the inning against Moll.

George Soriano (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win while Riley O'Brien allowed a pair of two-out hits and a walk to load the bases in the ninth but retired Sal Stewart to earn his 16th save in 20 chances. Stewart and the Reds thought they had tied the game on a bases-loaded walk to Stewart but St. Louis catcher Jimmy Crooks successfully challenged and the count ran full before Stewart grounded out to second to end the game.

It was the 18th come-from-behind win this season for St. Louis.

Cincinnati starter Nick Lodolo scattered nine hits over five innings, striking out three and walking one. Lodolo faced two batters in the sixth before reliever Tejay Antone worked out of a bases-loaded jam with none out, thanks in part to a 3-2-3 double play.

The Cardinals, who overcame a 3-0 hole Friday night with 10 unanswered runs, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second against Lodolo.

The Reds began to fight back against Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore in the third when Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson booted a routine grounder by JJ Bleday with the bases loaded, allowing two runs to score. Spencer Steer followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

After Matt McLain belted his sixth homer in the fourth -- a two-run shot off Libertore to left to give the Reds a 5-3 lead -- Jordan Walker connected an inning later for his team-leading 16th homer, and third against Cincinnati in four games, to cut Cincinnati's lead to 5-4.

Steer walked in the fifth inning to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 24 games, the longest current streak in the Majors.

--Field Level Media