Molina hurts knee on foul tip as Cardinals lose to Red 5-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina left the game in the fourth inning with a bruised knee, and the St. Louis Cardinals extended a losing streak to four for the first time this year with a 5-2 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.

The 38-year-old Molina, a nine-time All-Star catcher, and nine-time Gold Glove winner, took a foul tip off the bat of Kyle Farmer off his left knee in the fourth inning, Molina initially stayed in the game after he was examined by head athletic trainer Adam Olsen but appeared to be limping.

Andrew Knizner pinch hit in the bottom half for Molina, who is batting .277 with seven homers and 27 RBIs. Knizer made a run-scoring throwing error in the seventh.

Jonathan India and Eugenio Suárez homered for the Reds to back Tyler Mahle (5-2), who allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts. His innings matched his big league high.

Nolan Arenado singled off Luca Sims leading off the ninth and Tyler O'Neill doubled with one out. Sims struck out Matt Carpenter and retired Edmundo Sosa on a flyout for his fifth save in six chances.

Cincinnati has won three in a row for the first time since a six-game winning streak that started after the Reds lost their opener against the Cardinals. Cincinnati has won five of its last six.

Suárez hit a two-run homer in the sixth off Ryan Helsley (3-4) for a 4-2 lead, Suárez’s 13th home run this season.

Knizer threw wildly past third and into left field, allowing Jesse Winkler to score. Winkler had been on second base when Genesis Cabrera sailed a wild pitch that went over Knizer's glove and rebounded off the brick backstop to the catcher.

Cardinals starter Johan Oviedo allowed two runs and three hits in four innings. John Nogowski pinch hit for him with the bases loaded in the fourth and hit an...

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