ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals are finding new ways to get walk-off wins.
Jon Jay was hit by a pitch from J.J. Hoover with the bases-loaded in the ninth inning, lifting the Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
The walk-off victory was the second in two nights for the Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games and remained 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.
Jhonny Peralta's RBI single in the 10th inning Monday provided St. Louis with a thrilling last-at-bat triumph.
Matt Holliday drew a leadoff walk to start Tuesday's winning rally. He advanced to third on Matt Adams' single. After Peter Bourjos ran for Holliday, Peralta walked to load the bases. Hoover (1-10) then plunked Jay to force in Bourjos with the winning run.
"It's not like you hope to get hit by a pitch every time," Jay said. "But I'll take it."
St. Louis got its sixth walk-off win of the season. The Cardinals also posted consecutive wins in such fashion July 7 and 8 against Pittsburgh.
The Reds lost in walk-off fashion for the third time in the last four games. They are a season-high 10 games out of first place.
"(Two walk-offs) in a row isn't fun," Cincinnati third baseman Todd Frazier said. "It's crazy, I've never been around something like that. I never want to see it again."
Jay scored the tying run in the eighth on pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso's RBI double off reliever Jumbo Diaz.
"Call it whatever you want to call it, but we're just playing better baseball right now," Descalso said. "We've got down the last couple nights and we've come back. That's always a good sign."
Reliever Pat Neshek (6-0) pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Frazier put the Reds in front 2-1, with a two-run homer in the fourth. It was his 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.
Sports on 08/21/2014