Winker drives in 4, Castillo lasts 7, Reds hold off Cards.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jesse Winker homered, doubled and drove in four runs, Luis Castillo pitched seven effective innings and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 Saturday.

Joey Votto also homered to help the Reds overcome three errors and extend their winning streak against St. Louis to six games, their longest since taking six straight in May 2003. Cincinnati swept the Cardinals in a four-game series in St. Louis June 3-6.

“To compete against the Cardinals takes our best," manager David Bell said,

The Reds have won three of four games after dropping the first four of their nine-game homestand.

The Cardinals opened the eighth by scoring two runs on consecutive doubles by Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, followed by Paul DeJong’s RBI single. They loaded the bases with two outs before Sean Doolittle came on to coax pinch-hitter José Rondón into a popup to shortstop Kyle Farmer.

“Tough team, man," manager Mike Shildt said of his Cardinals, "They battle their tails off. It scratches and claws. Guys are competing and taking their best shot.”

Heath Hembree pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

Winker hit a two-run double in the first for a 2-1 lead and added insurance with a no-doubt shot deep down the right field line in the seventh. Jonathan India was aboard on a leadoff single.

Castillo (4-10) settled down to retire 11 of the last 13 batters he faced, the last on center fielder Akiyama’s catch of Dylan Carlson’s drive while banging into the wall in right-center with a runner on base to end the seventh. Castillo allowed four hits and one unearned run with three walks and nine strikeouts in seven innings.

“I felt great the entire time," he said through an interpreter. "What I’ve been really working on is the location of my pitches. That’s how I am...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Winker-drives-in-4-Castillo-lasts-7-Reds-hold-16337878.php