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Frazier, Mesoraco power Reds past Cards

Coverage of today's Cards and Reds game can be heard on Newstalk 97.3 WTIM beginning at 5:40pm.

Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Todd Frazier belted a three-run homer and 
Devin  Mesoraco  added a solo shot  to carry the  Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 win 
over  the St.  Louis Cardinals to open a three-game series from Great American 
Ball Park. 

Homer  Bailey (4-3) allowed  eight hits and three runs over six innings to win 
his  third  straight home start.  His only defeat  at Great American Ball Park 
came April 3 against the Cardinals. 

Brayan  Pena knocked  in the other run  and came up with the defensive play of 
the  night  for the Reds,  who have won back-to-back  games for the first time 
since May 3-4 versus Milwaukee. 

"It was kind of like a playoff game," Frazier said. "I was really excited. 
We're playing against a big rival." 

Allen  Craig  had a  two-run single for  the Cardinals, who  lost for just the 
second time in nine contests. 

Shelby  Miller (6-3)  had  his personal  five-start  and six-decision  winning 
streak broken after giving up five hits and four runs over five frames. Two of 
his losses this year have come against the Reds. 

Pena  made a  highlight-reel stop in the eighth inning. The Reds first baseman 
made  a  diving stop on  a ball destined for  the right-field corner. With his 
stomach  on the  chalk line,  Pena turned  his neck  and flipped  the ball  to 
Jonathan Broxton covering to get Matt Holliday for the first out. 

The Cardinals  didn't hit the  ball out of the  infield during a 1-2-3 eighth 
frame  and Aroldis Chapman, throwing heat over 100 mph, worked around a single 
to pinch-hitter Mark Ellis to notch his fourth save. 

"We had them on the ropes a couple of times," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny 
said. "Those are times we're looking for that big hit to happen. It just 
didn't come." 

With  Pena  and Billy Hamilton aboard  in the third, Frazier slugged his ninth 
homer of the year, a shot to center field. 

Craig's  soft liner  to left  plated  Matt Carpenter  and Kolten  Wong in  the 
fourth,  but the Reds  got that run back in the bottom half. Jay Bruce doubled 
to lead off and later scored on Pena's sacrifice fly to center. 

With  runners at the  corners in the top of the sixth, the Cardinals were able 
to  get  within 4-3  when Jhonny  Peralta's slow grounder  allowed the Reds to 
record only one out, at second. That scored Craig. 

The Cardinals had runners at first and second when Bailey turned and threw to 
shortstop  Zack  Cozart to pick  off Peralta  at second to  end the top of the 
sixth. 

"I don't know if they had a sign on, but the timing was great," Reds manager 
Bryan Price said. 

Mesoraco  slugged the insurance  homer, a blast to left off Seth Maness in the 
bottom of the sixth. 

                                   Game Notes 

The  Reds  recalled  outfielder  Donald  Lutz  from  Louisville  and  optioned 
infielder  Neftali Soto to the Triple-A club ... Bailey moved to 6-10 lifetime 
against  the Cardinals ... The Reds need one more win this weekend to beat the 
Cardinals  for only  the second time in  the last 11 series. Their only series 
victory  during  the stretch was  from Sept. 2-5  of last season. Jaime Garcia 
pitches for the Cardinals Saturday against Tony Cingrani. 

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