ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler Stephenson hit a bases-clearing double in the ninth inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-6 on Monday night to close within two games of the New York Mets for the last NL wild card.
Cincinnati scored eight runs in the final three innings and ended a three-game losing streak, getting back to .500 at 75-75.
St. Louis has lost six of seven, falling to 73-78 and 4 1/2 games behind the Mets.
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, recovered from a strained right shoulder that had sidelined him since July 30, singled on the first pitch he saw and added his first double at home since April 14. First baseman Willson Contreras was removed for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning because of tightness in his right biceps.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who entered hitting .163 in September (8 for 49), was dropped from third to seventh in the batting order and went 1 for 3 with a pair of walks.
St. Louis led 4-3 in the seventh before Matt McLain hit a two-run double and scored on TJ Friedl’s single. The Cardinals tied the score 6-6 in the bottom half on RBI singles by Brendan Donovan and Iván Herrera.
Sal Stewart singled and Stephenson walked in the eighth against Ryan Fernandez (0-4), and Will Benson hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Kyle Leahy for a 7-6 lead.
Stewart, who hit his fourth homer in eight games in the second inning, added a run-scoring infield hit in the ninth on a one-hopper off the glove of Leahy, who tried for a behind-his-back grab only for the ball to bounced toward shortstop. Stephenson followed with a drive off the left-center field wall.
Connor Phillips (3-0) struck out two in a perfect eighth.
Key moment
Cincinnati starter Zack Littell retired 12 straight batters before St. Louis’ three-run rally in the sixth.
Key stat
Stephenson went 2 for 4 with three RBIs.
Up next
Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (9-6, 2.79 ERA) and Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (6-3, 4.44) start Tuesday.