ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jon Jay was hit by a pitch from J.J. Hoover with the base-loaded in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Matt Holliday drew a leadoff walk to start the winning rally. He advanced to third on Matt Adams’ single. After Peter Bourjos ran for Holliday, Jhonny Peralta walked to load the bases. Hoover (1-10) then plunked Jay to force in Bourjos with the winning run.

Pat Neshek (6-0) pitched one inning of scoreless relief as the Cardinals won for the fifth time in six games and remained 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.

The Reds have lost four in a row.

Jay scored the tying run in the eighth on pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso’s RBI double off reliever Jumbo Diaz.

Todd Frazier put the Reds in front 2-1, with a two-run homer in the fourth. It was Frazier’s 21st home run of the season, but first since July 20.

Cincinnati starter Alfredo Simon gave up three runs and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked one.

St. Louis starter John Lackey gave up four runs, two earned, in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Cincinnati scored twice in the sixth on a bases-loaded double by former Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick. Errors by Holliday and Matt Carpenter and a walk set the stage for Ludwick’s hit, which pushed the lead to 4-1.

Peralta homered in the sixth to cut the deficit to 4-2. It was Peralta’s 17th home run of the season, setting the single-season mark for a St. Louis shortstop. Jay and Oscar Taveras followed with hits before pinch-hitter Shane Robinson singled of reliever Sam LeCure to bring the Cardinals to 4-3.

St. Louis took a 1-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Holliday in the third.

— Associated Press —