Reds blast Cardinals 9-1 to split four-game set

Jose Trevino homered and drove in three runs to help the Cincinnati Reds earn a split of their four-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals with a 9-1 victory on Thursday afternoon.

Spencer Steer also homered and singled for Cincinnati, which was swept in a doubleheader on Wednesday. Santiago Espinal had two hits, two RBIs and a run, and Noelvi Marte had two hits, one RBI and two runs.

Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott allowed one run and three hits over four innings before a 90-minute rain delay forced him out of the game. He struck out three and walked four.

Graham Ashcraft (2-2) replaced Abbott and the right-hander retired the side in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, fanning four.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore (2-3) allowed two runs and two hits over three innings. He struck out two and walked one.

Gavin Lux walked with two outs in the second inning before Trevino lined the first pitch he saw over the fence in left for a 2-0 lead.

Brendan Donovan singled with two outs in the third for St. Louis and Nolan Arenado dropped a soft single into center field. Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz was the first to the ball but had difficulty picking it up, and Donovan continued home on the error to cut it to 2-1.

Matt Svanson relieved Liberatore following the rain delay and gave up back-to-back singles to Marte and Espinal to start the fourth before walking Steer to load the bases.

The Reds scored a run on a fielder's choice grounder by Lux to make it 3-1. Trevino then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to plate another run.

Steer hit a solo shot deep over the fence in left in the sixth to make it 5-1.

Marte added an RBI single in the seventh to stretch the lead to 6-1, and Espinal followed with a two-run single for an 8-1 lead.

Matt McLain made it 9-1 with an RBI single in the eighth.

--Field Level Media