Did Cardinals' Early Lead Get Derailed by Reds' Second Inning Surge?

The St. Louis Cardinals faced off against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, with the Cards holding a 68-70 record and the Reds at 69-68. The game concluded with a score of 7-4 in favor of the home team, Cincinnati.

First Inning

The Cardinals started strong, taking an early lead with 2 runs on 3 hits. Willson Contreras contributed significantly to this initial surge, showcasing his batting skills. However, despite this promising start, their momentum was short-lived.

Second Inning

In what became the Cardinals vs Reds turning point, Cincinnati responded fiercely in the second inning by scoring 3 runs on just 2 hits and capitalizing on a fielding error by St. Louis. This shift in momentum was critical as it set the tone for the rest of the game.

Fifth Inning

The Redbirds managed to add another run in the third inning but were unable to maintain their offensive pressure thereafter. Meanwhile, Cincinnati extended their lead further during this period with an additional two runs scored through strategic hitting and exploiting gaps in St. Louis's defense.

Seventh Inning

Despite efforts from players like Lars Nootbaar who maintained a .500 average from previous performances and contributed defensively without errors, it wasn't enough to turn things around for St. Louis as they only managed one more run late into play.

Ninth Inning

As we analyze what went wrong for Cardinals during this matchup against their division rivals; poor pitching consistency allowed too many opportunities for Cincinnati batters which ultimately led them towards victory - leaving fans pondering over missed chances throughout these innings played out under sunny skies here today!

Looking ahead: The Cards will host Oakland Athletics next at Busch Stadium scheduled September first starting time being set precisely fourteen fifteen hours Eastern Daylight Time broadcasted live via NBC Sports California network so mark your calendars accordingly! Share your thoughts about today's match-up below!