Cards Hold On, Trail Reds By A Game

The Cardinals beat the Reds 8-5, but it wasn’t the prettiest win in the world. St. Louis led 7-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, allowing five runs in the final three innings. Jason Simontacchi gave up just one run to improve to 4-0 on the season. Fernando Vina, Albert Pujols, and J.D. Drew drove in two runs apiece. With the win the Cardinals trail the Reds by one game in the N.L. Central.