TJ Friedl drove in two runs with a single and a triple as the visiting Cincinnati Reds defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Tommy Pham hit a homer and scored twice for the Reds, who won for just the third time in 10 games.

Reds starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft allowed four runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Reliever Jeff Hoffman (1-0) received the victory and Alexis Diaz earned his second career save.

Dakota Hudson (4-3) allowed six runs on nine hits and two walks in seven innings for the Cardinals, whose five-game home winning streak ended.

Tommy Edman and Nolan Gorman hit singles to open the first inning, then two Ashcraft wild pitches handed the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals pushed their lead to 3-0 in the third inning on Nolan Arenado’s two-run homer.

The Reds tied the game 3-3 when Hudson lost control in the fourth inning.

Brandon Drury hit a single and Pham and Joey Votto drew walks before Hudson hit Kyle Farmer with a pitch to force in a run. Matt Reynolds hit into the Reds’ fourth double play of the game to produce another run, then Friedl hit his RBI single.

The Reds moved ahead 4-3 in the fifth. Aristides Aquino hit a double, moved up on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Nick Senzel’s sacrifice fly.
Aquino had to exit the game after sliding awkwardly into home.

The Cardinals tied the game in their half of the inning. Singles by Tyler O’Neill and Brendan Donovan set the stage for Albert Pujols’ RBI double.

The Reds took a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning. Friedl hit a RBI triple and Albert Almora Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly.

Pham’s homer off reliever Johan Oviedo in the eighth inning made it 7-4. Juan Yepez’s two-run homer off Diaz in the ninth cut the lead to 7-6.

–Field Level Media