Pinch-hitter Matt Davidson delivered a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Friday night.

Davidson drove a 2-0 pitch from Tyler Webb to left field and into the Cincinnati bullpen. It was his third home run of the season, second career slam and first pinch-hit homer.

Cincinnati is 2-2 after a three-game pause because of a positive COVID-19 test. St. Louis has lost four of six. The teams combined for only five hits.

Michael Lorenzen (1-1) earned the victory in relief. He went 1-2/3 innings.

Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

Genesis Cabrera (1-1) took the loss after working one inning. He was charged with three of the four runs on Davidson’s homer, but all were unearned. Cabrera didn’t allow a hit, but he walked one and hit a batter.

St. Louis came unraveled in the sixth after Cabrera retired the first two Reds batters. Harrison Bader made a long run into deep center in an attempt to snag Eugenio Suarez’s drive and was in position to make the catch for the final out of the inning but the ball popped out of his glove. Cardinals shortstop Tommy Edman then dropped Bader’s throw for a second error on the play, allowing Suarez to scoot into third base.

Mike Moustakas walked and Cabrera plunked Phil Ervin to load the bases. Webb came in and gave up Davidson’s homer.

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani went 4 1/3 innings and gave up three hits. He walked four and struck out two.
Dakota Hudson pitched one-hit ball through 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

The Cardinals led 2-0 going into the sixth. Kolton Wong scored on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, and Bader came in on a bases-loaded walk in the third.

UP NEXT
The third game of the series is tonight at Busch Stadium. Wade Miley is scheduled to be the starter for the Reds and Kwang Hyun Kim for the Redbirds. Game time is 7:15.