Abbott throws 7 strong innings, lifts Reds to 4-1 win over the Cardinals

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew Abbott retired the final 18 batters he faced in seven commanding innings, and the Cincinnati Reds avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

Jose Trevino, Jake Fraley and Elly de la Cruz each doubled and scored, and Matt McLain hit his ninth home run for the Reds.

The Cardinals had a five-game winning streak snapped.

Trevino doubled and scored on Fraley’s liner to the right-center field gap that put the Reds ahead 2-1 in the fifth. After a passed ball, Fraley scored on TJ Friedl’s sacrifice fly.

Cincinnati extended the lead when de la Cruz doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on Gavin Lux’s RBI groundout.

Abbott (7-1) allowed only three singles, including Yohel Pozo’s RBI single in the second inning. The Cardinals didn’t have another base runner until Taylor Rogers issued a one-out walk to Jose Barrero in the eighth.

Abbott had three strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 1.79. Jake Fraley had 10 putouts in right field on fly balls.

Emilio Pagán worked a spotless ninth for his 18th save in 21 chances.

Miles Mikolas (4-5) allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings for St. Louis. He struck out six and walked one.

McLain put Cincinnati up 1-0 on a 387-foot home run into the right-field bullpen in the first inning.

St. Louis responded with a run in the second on three straight grounders to the right side — singles by Nolan Arenado and Pozo sandwiched around a fielding error by McLain on Thomas Saggese’s grounder to second.

Key moment

After Pozo’s single tied the game and put runners on first and second with no outs, Abbott struck out Jordan Walker to start his run of dominance. He got Barrero to foul out and Brendan Donovan to fly out to end the threat.

Key stat

The Reds have not been swept in any of their first 25 series this season. It’s their longest streak to start a season since 1989 (30 consecutive series).

Up next

The Cardinals host the Cubs on Monday night the first meeting of the division rivals this season, with St. Louis LHP Matthew Liberatore (4-6, 4.08 ERA) set to start.

RHP Nick Lodolo (5-5, 3.71) is set to start the Reds’ series opener Monday against the New York Yankees at Great American Ball Park.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb