Burleson's Double, Bullpen's Wall: Cardinals Grind Out Game 1 Over Reds

CINCINNATI — This one wasn't about flash. It was about a lead, a lockdown bullpen, and a team that knows exactly how to close things out.

Alec Burleson delivered the big blow early, ripping a two-run double down the right-field line in the first inning to score Joshua Báez and Iván Herrera. That was all the Cardinals needed to edge the Reds 2-1 in Monday's doubleheader opener.

St. Louis is now 10-4 in its last 14 games, making serious noise in the NL wild-card hunt.

Báez, the rookie who made history on Saturday by homering in his first three big-league at-bats, had a quiet afternoon — hitless for the second straight day. But on this day, the Cardinals didn't need another historic debut. They needed a lead, and Burleson provided it.

The Bullpen Said 'Not Today'

Quinn Mathews made his second career start and delivered a gutsy, if imperfect, outing: four innings, one run, two hits, three walks, and seven strikeouts. Dane Myers got to him in the fourth with a solo homer, but that was all the Reds could muster.

From there, it was lockdown city. Luis Gastelum, Gordon Graceffo and George Soriano each tossed a perfect inning — three up, three down, no drama. Ryne Stanek kept it rolling with a scoreless eighth.

Then came the All-Star closer, Riley O'Brien. He needed just the ninth to remind everyone why he's been unhittable all year, striking out the side to secure his NL-leading 31st save.

The Reds' offense totaled just three hits, and once the Cardinals' bullpen took over, the outcome felt inevitable.

Spot Start Goes Sour

Kent Emanuel, summoned from Triple-A to make the start for Cincinnati, took the loss. The left-hander gave up two runs on five hits over five innings — good enough to keep his team in it, but not enough against that St. Louis 'pen.

Game 2 Awaits

The doubleheader wraps up on the mound with Andre Pallante (12-6, 3.46 ERA) taking the ball for St. Louis and Rhett Lowder (4-8, 5.15 ERA) countering for Cincinnati. If Game 2 is half as tight as this one, we're in for another treat.