Feldman sharp as Reds win road series
ST. LOUIS — Pitching well helps. Getting a big lead makes a starter's job even easier.
Cincinnati's Scott Feldman allowed four hits and struck out six in six innings, and the Reds beat St. Louis 8-0 on Sunday to take two of three from the Cardinals.
"My command was much better this time (than opening day)," Feldman said. "It makes it a lot easier when the guys come out and put all those runs on the board. They swung the bats great today against a really good pitcher."
Adam Duvall had three hits, including a home run, and two RBI for the Reds, who have won just five of their last 40 series at Busch Stadium.
All that futility is in the past, Reds manager Bryan Price said.
"We're just coming in here and playing baseball. We're not playing the ghosts or demons of series past," Price said. "We're just coming in here and playing baseball. And we have a better team than we've had in the past, with a lot of new faces."
St. Louis went 2-4 on its opening homestand and heads on a six-game trip to Washington and the New York Yankees.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said his team needs to find some consistency.
"We had trouble getting anything going today," Matheny said. "We've got to keep searching for that really good rhythm."
Feldman left after the Cardinals put their first two runners on in the seventh. Blake Wood and Tony Cingrani completed a six-hitter.
Carlos Martinez (0-1) gave up six runs, five earned, and six hits in five-plus innings. He hit two batters, walked one and threw a wild pitch.
Duvall homered in the second, the first run off Martinez this season after 8 scoreless innings.
"He's got a good fastball," Duvall said about Martinez. "I wanted to try and stay square on him and not try to overpull the ball because then it opens up the outer half (of the plate). And with (catcher) Yadi (Molina) back there, and with the two of them going, it's going to be a tough at-bat. I was able to get something to hit and put the barrel on it."
Zack Cozart tripled in a run in the fifth, and the Reds chased Martinez in the sixth as the Cardinals made three errors, including two on one play by third baseman Jhonny Peralta.
"I've made three or four errors sometimes in a game before," Peralta said. "It happens to everybody. Today, I made a really dumb play."
Martinez hit Jose Peraza with a pitch, threw a wild pitch and walked Joey Votto. Duvall singled for a 3-0 lead and Peralta allowed Eugenio Suarez's grounder to bounce off his glove, then threw the ball into right field for a double error as Votto scored.
Scott Schebler hit an RBI double off Brett Cecil, and a second run scored when right fielder Randal Grichuk fumbled the ball for an error as he tried to throw.
Votto homered leading off the ninth.