CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto hit a pair of two-run homers, the strongest indication yet that he’s fully back in form, and Todd Frazier had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly on Friday night, keeping the Cincinnati Reds unbeaten with a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Reds are 4-0 for the first time since 2011, when they won their first five games. They’ve won each game in their final at-bat.
Votto homered off John Lackey in each of his first two at-bats. Frazier’s sacrifice fly in the eighth off Jordan Walden (0-1) marked the second time this week that he’s knocked in the deciding run.
J.J. Hoover (2-0) escaped a threat in the eighth. Aroldis Chapman gave up a hit and fanned two in the ninth for his second save.
Votto hit only six homers last season, the last one on May 10, and didn’t play after July 5 because of strained muscles above his left knee.
