CINCINNATI — It twice took five infielders and two outs at home plate in extra innings for the Cardinals to flaunt their stellar defense and give their offense opportunity after opportunity to do something, anything. It didn’t even have to be stellar, just substantive.
The Cardinals were hitless in 17 at-bats with a runner in scoring position when, in the 12th inning, Albert Pujols’ final swing in Cincinnati lofted a fly ball deep enough to score a runner from third base. Pujols’ sacrifice fly brought home Paul Goldschmidt and gave the Cardinals their first lead of a long, maddening night at the plate, except for when they were tagging out Reds there.
Lars Nootbaar gave the game one grin with a two-run homer that sent the Cardinals to a 5-3 victory against the Reds in the 12th inning at Great American Ball Park.
