Friedl homer twice on 29th birthday, Reds rout the Cardinals 9-2 to sweep series

CINCINNATI (AP) — TJ Friedl homered twice on his 29th birthday, Jonathan India also hit two home runs and drove in four runs and the Cincinnati Reds completed a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 9-2 victory Wednesday night.

Friedl and Barry Larkin — on April 28, 1994 — are the only Reds with multihomer games on their birthday.

Tyler Stephenson also homered to help the Reds sweep a three-game series for the first time since July 2-4 at the New York Yankees.

The Reds have won their fourth straight — the first time that’s happened since they strung together seven in a row in early June — and moved into a tie with St. Louis for second place in the NL Central.

On a bullpen night for Cincinnati, six pitchers combined to allow two runs on 10 hits. Sam Moll (3-1) pitched a scoreless third for the victory.

With one out in the fourth, Will Benson walked and Noelvi Marte singled before India broke out of a 0-for-23 skid by driving a sweeper from Gibson into the seats in left field. Two batters later, Stephenson hit his 16th of the season.

India’s second homer came in the fifth, a 416-foot shot to center. Friedl marked his birthday with a towering no-doubter to right, then hit another in the seventh off Kyle Leahy.

Elly De La Cruz had a two-out, RBI double in the eighth.

St. Louis starter Kyle Gibson (7-5) allowed seven runs and seven hits, including four homers, through 4 2/3 innings.

Alec Burleson and Nolan Arenado had RBI singles for the Cardinals in the sixth.

The Cardinals were last swept April 19-21 by division-leading Milwaukee.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: After an off day, open a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Starting pitchers haven’t been named.

Reds: Following an off day, host the Kansas City Royals for a three-game interleague series beginning on Friday night. Right-hander Nick Martinez (6-5, 3-16 ERA) gets the start against Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen (5-6, 3.79).

___

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