CINCINNATI (AP) — St. Louis’s drive toward a Central Division championship hit a Cincinnati speed bump.

Johnny Cueto pitched eight scoreless innings to beat Lance Lynn and send the Cardinals to their third consecutive loss, 1-0, Thursday.

Cueto (18-8) allowed just three hits and hit a batter to help the Reds win their second series in the last 13 against Central Division-leading St. Louis. The Cardinals have lost three straight for the first time since a four-game losing streak Aug. 26-30 and finished their eight-game road trip 4-4 after winning three out of four in Milwaukee.

“We’re heading home,” said center fielder John Jay, who came up short of making the crucial play. “We just have to keep playing.”

Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 33rd save and third in the last three games.

“We created an environment where we play the spoiler,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “There is no secret we’ve struggled with the Cardinals the last several years.”

Lynn (15-9) retired 15 straight before Brandon Phillips led off the eighth inning with the Reds’ first walk of the game. He went to third on Jay Bruce’s single to center field and scored on Ramon Santiago’s sinking liner to short center that Jay got a glove on but couldn’t hold. Bruce had to hold up to see if the ball was caught and was forced at second.

“I just missed it,” Jay said. “I knew I couldn’t leave my feet. If I slide, he’s tagging. I tried to be aggressive.”

“He’s made great plays all year,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “That’s one he makes all the time. That one just got away.”

The Reds have won three straight games for the first time since August 5-7 against Cleveland. They finished their home stand 4-3 after losing two out of three against the Mets.

Lynn went into the game 3-0 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts against the Reds this season. Cueto was 0-2 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against St. Louis.

“Today, he just outpitched me,” Lynn said. “That’s part of it.”

Cueto retired the last 14 batters he faced after Matt Adams led off the fourth inning with a single and was eliminated in a double play. Cueto finished with seven strikeouts.

Lynn allowed three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in eight innings.

Bruce kept the game scoreless with a leaping catch at the right-field fence to rob Adams of a home run leading off the seventh inning. Adams appeared to doff his batting helmet to salute Bruce’s play.

`K’ MAN: Cueto’s seven strikeouts give him 220 this season, the most since Jose Rijo led the National League with 227 in 1993.

HIT MAN: Jay was hit by a pitch for the 19th time this season, the most in the majors. He was plunked for the third consecutive game.

TRAINER’S ROOM: Cardinals: Catcher Yadier Molina got Thursday’s game off after playing all of Wednesday’s night game. Molina’s surgically repaired right thumb still is an issue, manager Mike Matheny said. “You can see the splint,” Matheny said. “He’s still protecting it and doing things to strengthen it.”

Reds: Catcher Brayan Pena was scratched from the original starting lineup with an illness. Devin Mesoraco started in Pena’s place.

UP NEXT: Cardinals: Adam Wainwright starts as St. Louis opens a 10-day, nine-game home stand with the first of three against Colorado.

Reds: Mat Latos strives for his first career win at Miller Park as the Reds open a 10-day, nine-game road trip with the first of three at Milwaukee. Latos is 0-4 in six starts at Miller.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — Alfredo Simon usually takes a strike before taking a swing. The Cincinnati right-hander was more aggressive, and it paid off against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Reds starter doubled on the first pitch of his first at bat and then swung at the first pitch of his second plate appearance before slashing another two-bagger that drove in the go-ahead run of a 4-2 Reds win on Wednesday night.

“Sometimes, (manager Bryan Price) tells me to take a strike, but sometimes, the fastball I get on the first pitch is the only chance I have to get a hit,” said Simon, who was hitting .098 going into the game.

Simon shook off a rough start but lasted seven innings, and Ryan Ludwick hit a solo home run to help the Reds win back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 27-28 against the Chicago Cubs. The Central Division-leading Cardinals hadn’t sustained consecutive defeats since a four-game losing streak from Aug. 26-30.

“He was a little erratic early, but he rallied,” Price said of Simon.

Simon (14-10) allowed five hits and two runs with three walks and five strikeouts for his second win in eight decisions over 11 starts since the All-Star break.

“I gave up the two runs in the first inning, but I kept fighting,” Simon said. “Everything was working.”

Sam LeCure and Ryan Dennick pitched the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman worked a perfect ninth for his 32nd save.

Terry Lyons (0-4) took the loss after Cardinals starter John Lackey was ejected in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Plate umpire Tom Hallion ejected Lackey four pitches into the third inning.

“Lackey was warned to quit arguing balls and strikes, and he continued to argue,” Hallion said.

The ejection caught Lackey by surprise.

“I didn’t say any cuss words toward him,” Lackey said. “He saw my mouth moving and threw me out. It was unexpected, for sure. I’ve been thrown out a few times throwing balls at people, but never for something like this”

With the game tied 2-2, Jay Bruce led off the Reds’ fourth inning with a bloop single. Simon, who entered with one career double, went the opposite way to drive in Bruce with the go-ahead run.

Brandon Phillips added a bases-loaded, run-scoring single in the fifth to make it 4-2.

Simon retired the first two batters of the game before the Cardinals scored two runs. Matt Holliday walked and scored from first on Matt Adams’ double. Oscar Taveras followed with a run-scoring single.

Todd Frazier drove in Chris Heisey with a single in the first, and Ludwick tied it for the Reds in the second with his ninth homer and first since Aug. 17 — a 374-foot shot into the left-field seats.

QUICK PITCH

Lackey was ejected for the fourth time in his career and first since 2009 when he was with the Angels and was ejected two pitches into a game for throwing at Texas’ Ian Kinsler.

DONE DEAL

The Reds acquired from Milwaukee minor-league RHP Kevin Shackelford and RHP Barrett Astin on Wednesday as the two players to be named in the Aug. 31 trade that sent RHP Jonathan Broxton to the Brewers.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Manager Mike Matheny got no argument from SS Jhonny Peralta when the veteran was given Wednesday off. Peralta missed just three of St. Louis’ first 145 games. “He wants to finish strong,” Matheny said. “He’s answered the bell.”

Reds: RHP Pedro Villareal’s status remained day-to-day after he was hit in the right forearm by Holliday’s sharp one-hopper in the ninth inning of Monday’s 5-0 loss.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Lance Lynn tries to improve to 4-0 in four 2014 starts against Cincinnati in Thursday’s series finale.

Reds: Johnny Cueto will look to avoid dropping to 0-3 in three starts this season against St. Louis.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — Even the lopsided ones come with last-inning frights for the Cincinnati Reds.

Devin Mesoraco homered and drove in three runs, and Mike Leake pitched into the seventh inning and doubled home a run, leading the Reds to a 9-5 victory on Tuesday night that ended their six-game losing streak against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Reds held on in the ninth, needing their closer to finish off only their third win in the last 11 games. They are 17-33 since the All-Star break, sliding out of contention.

“The good thing was we stayed resilient,” manager Bryan Price said.

The Cardinals lost for only the second time in 11 games but maintained their 4 1/2-game lead over Pittsburgh in the NL Central. St. Louis is 10-4 against the Reds and 40-25 overall in the division.

Leake (11-11) was coming off his worst start of the season, giving up a season-high seven runs and three homers during a 9-7 loss in Baltimore last Thursday. Against the Cardinals, Leake allowed three runs and eight hits.

He also doubled home a run in the fourth off Michael Wacha (5-6) for a 3-1 lead. His fifth double of the season was his 68th career hit, the most by any pitcher in the majors since his debut in 2010.

Aroldis Chapman relieved with two on and two outs in the ninth and fanned Mark Ellis on a 101 mph fastball to end it, getting his 31st save in 33 chances.

Mesoraco hit his 23rd homer in the first inning, a two-run shot. He also doubled home a run in the fifth as Cincinnati scored four times, knocking Wacha out of the game.

“That’s the first time I’ve faced Wacha, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect,” Mesoraco said. “On 3-2 he threw me a curveball in the middle of the plate. I wasn’t sure it was going to be a home run, but the ball was carrying tonight.”

Wacha made his second start since returning from a shoulder problem that had sidelined him since mid-June and gave up six hits, six runs and three walks.

Down 7-1, the Cardinals sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh inning. Tony Cruz and Jon Jay had RBI singles, and Jumbo Diaz walked Jhonny Peralta with the bases loaded, cutting it to 7-4. First baseman Brayan Pena made a diving stop of A.J. Pierzynski’s line drive to end the rally.

“We had some diving plays,” Leake said. “This was one of the best games we’ve played so far.”

Chris Heisey’s two-run single in the eighth let Cincinnati pull away.

STAR PLAY

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong saved a run in the fourth when he sprinted into right field and made an over-the-shoulder catch of Billy Hamilton’s fly, holding onto the ball as he tumbled on the ground.

MESORACO AND BENCH

Mesoraco has hit 22 of his 23 homers while catching, the most by a Reds catcher since Johnny Bench hit 23 in 1980. His other homer came as a designated hitter.

STATS

Wong extended his hitting streak to six games. … Wacha allowed five earned runs for the first time this season. … RHP Sam Tuivailala made his big league debut and gave up two runs and retired two batters. … Xavier Scruggs got his first career hit. … Reds SS Zack Cozart snapped an 0 for 16 slump. … It was the first time this season that the Reds won a game when they allowed 14 hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Manager Mike Matheny is gradually increasing Wacha’s pitch counts. Matheny says getting him back is “like getting a new player” for down the stretch. He threw 70 pitches on Tuesday, 44 for strikes.

Reds: Starter Dylan Axelrod is likely done for the season with a strained right oblique, sustained on his seventh pitch Monday night. … 1B Joey Votto took ground balls for a second straight day on Tuesday. The Reds are trying to get him ready to play the final week of the season. He has been on the disabled list since July 8 with strained muscles above his left knee.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: St. Louis is 10-4 against the Reds this season. John Lackey (13-9) starts the third of their four-game series on Wednesday.

Reds: Alfredo Simon (13-10) is 1-7 with a 5.27 ERA in 10 starts since his first All-Star game.

— Associated Press —