Cardinals 6, Reds 1: Pallante Shines in St. Louis Victory

Friday, June 20th, 2025

ST. LOUIS – Andre Pallante delivered a dominant performance, allowing just two hits over six shutout innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals broke open a close game with a five-run eighth inning to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on Friday night.

Pallante (5-3) earned the win, issuing only one walk and a single to Matt McLain in the second inning. His stellar outing ended after a broken-bat single by Elly De La Cruz to lead off the seventh. Phil Maton closed out the game, getting the final three outs.

The Cardinals' offense came alive in the eighth inning, scoring five runs against Reds relievers Scott Barlow, Taylor Rogers, and Tony Santillan. Masyn Winn drove in a run with a single off Rogers. Lars Nootbaar delivered a single off Santillan to cap the rally, which was significantly boosted by a two-out throwing error by Gavin Lux that allowed two runs to score.

St. Louis initially took a 1-0 lead in the third inning against Reds starter Brady Singer. Brendan Donovan reached via a fielder's choice, advanced to third on a double by Masyn Winn, and scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Alec Burleson.

Reds starter Brady Singer (7-5) pitched well despite the loss, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out seven batters and finished his outing by retiring the final nine Cardinals he faced.

Cincinnati's only run came in the eighth inning. Santiago Espinal led off with a single against Cardinals reliever John King. Espinal later scored on a double to right field by Jose Trevino, aided by a throwing error by Cardinals infielder Jordan Walker.

Prior to the game, the Cardinals called up infielder Thomas Saggese from Triple-A Memphis. Saggese was involved in the decisive eighth-inning rally, hitting the ground ball that resulted in Gavin Lux's crucial throwing error. Saggese replaced catcher Iván Herrera, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.

Cincinnati has struggled at Busch Stadium, holding a 59-101 record at the venue since 2006.

Key Moment

In the seventh inning, after Elly De La Cruz's single, Cardinals reliever Phil Maton entered and quickly induced a double play from Tyler Stephenson on his first pitch. He then struck out Spencer Steer to end the threat.

Key Stat

Andre Pallante's performance continued his strong record against the Reds. Entering the game with a 5-2 record and a 2.18 ERA in six starts and 16 appearances versus Cincinnati, his ERA against the Reds is now tied with Harry Brecheen for the fourth-lowest by a Cardinals pitcher in franchise history.

Up Next

The series continues Saturday. The Cincinnati Reds are scheduled to start left-hander Wade Miley (1-0, 6.75 ERA) against St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (7-2, 3.84 ERA).

In summary

The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on June 20, 2025, at Busch Stadium. Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante was outstanding, throwing six shutout innings. The game remained close until the Cardinals scored five runs in the eighth inning, aided by key hits and a Reds error. The Reds' only run came in the eighth inning. This loss adds to the Reds' unfavorable record at Busch Stadium.

Related Links

• Cincinnati Reds News & Updates
• Cincinnati Reds Schedule & Scores
• St. Louis Cardinals News & Updates
• St. Louis Cardinals Schedule & Scores
• MLB News