Hays hits tiebreaking homer and Reds deck Cards 7-4 to stop 5-game slide

CINCINNATI (AP) — Austin Hays hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and Matt McLain went deep for the second consecutive game to back a solid start by Brady Singer as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 on Sunday to snap a five-game skid and avoid a series sweep.

Elly De La Cruz hit his 28th double leading off the fifth inning against Andre Pallante (6-13), and Hays followed with his 12th homer for a 5-3 lead.

Hays doubled and scored on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ two-out single for a 6-4 lead in the seventh, and McLain capped the scoring with his 13th homer — a solo shot off Andre Granillo in the eighth.

Singer (12-9) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Tony Santillan struck out the side in the eighth and Emilio Pagán did the same in the ninth for his 26th save.

Nolan Gorman’s sacrifice fly and a two-out base hit by Thomas Saggese gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the first.

Hayes had an RBI single and TJ Friedl drove in two with a two-out single to put the Reds up 3-2 in the second.

Cardinals rookie Jimmy Crooks homered off Sam Moll in the seventh for his first big league hit in his first start behind the plate to cut it to 5-4.

Pallante gave up five runs — two earned — on six hits and four walks in five innings.

Key moment

Hays worked an 0-2 count to full before hitting his go-ahead shot to left field.

Key stat

St. Louis has lost 12 of Pallante’s last 13 starts.

Up next

Reds RHP Hunter Greene (5-4, 2.81 ERA) starts Monday in the first of three games with the Blue Jays, who will counter with RHP Chris Bassitt (11-7, 4.14).

Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (12-7, 4.19) pitches Monday in the first of three against the Athletics, who will send out rookie RHP Luis Morales (2-0, 1.19).

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