Torres homers, Walker hits RBI double as Cardinals rally past crumbling Reds 5-3 for series sweep

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Bryan Torres homered, Jordan Walker hit an RBI double and the St. Louis Cardinals scored on two errors in the eighth inning to rally past the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Sunday to sweep the series.

Victor Scott II dribbled a sacrifice bunt to Reds pitcher Sam Moll that he threw past the third baseman to score Alec Buleson and give St. Louis a 4-3 lead. Iván Herrera reached on a fielding error by shortstop Matt McLain soon after, adding an insurance run.

Walker got the Cardinals on the board with his one-run single in the fifth before Torres hammered his second-career home run over the right-field wall for St. Louis' first lead of the game at 3-2. Both of Torres' homers have come against the Reds.

Ryne Stanek (2-0) threw the final two outs of the eighth inning and struck out one. Riley O’Brien earned his 17th save of the season in a scoreless ninth.

McLain and Tyler Stephenson hit back-to-back solo home runs in the third inning to put the Reds ahead 2-0 early. McLain homered again in the seventh to tie the game 3-3. It was his third home run in two days and his second career multi-homer game.

Moll (1-5) allowed two runs on two hits without recording an out for the Reds, while Chris Paddack blew his first save of the season. Rhett Lowder made his first start off the IL for the Reds and threw 3.0 innings, walking five and striking out four.

The Reds have lost eight of their last 10 games and have dropped four straight. After starting the season 20-11, they have gone 11-22 since. They are 2-13 in the NL Central.

Cincinnati: LHP Andrew Abbott (4-3, 4.06 ERA) takes the mound for the Reds in the opening game of a series against the Padres on Monday.

St. Louis: The Cardinals have yet to announce a starter for their series opener against the Mets on Tuesday.

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