The St. Louis Cardinals erased a three-run deficit and pushed this division rivalry to extra innings, but Cincinnati's walk-off win in the tenth sent them home empty-handed. The Reds beat the Cardinals 6-5 on Monday, August 17, 2026, in Cincinnati, with Emilio Pagán earning the win and Justin Bruihl taking the loss. It was a gut-punch finish in a game St. Louis had every reason to believe it had turned around.

Cardinals Rally Falls One Run Short in Extra-Inning Loss

Andre Pallante took the ball for St. Louis and gave the Cardinals six innings of work, but it was a rough night on the mound. He allowed 10 hits and 4 earned runs while striking out 5. The Cardinals' lineup put together enough offense to eventually erase that deficit, though Pallante's line shows the Reds did substantial damage across his six innings.

Peter Strzelecki was sharp in relief, throwing 3.0 innings of two-hit ball with 4 strikeouts and no earned runs allowed. That stretch kept St. Louis alive into extras. But Justin Bruihl couldn't record an out, surrendering the walk-off hit in a 0.0-inning appearance that ended the Cardinals' night.

Key Offensive Performances for St. Louis

Jordan Walker led the Cardinals at the plate, going 3-for-5 in a strong individual effort. JJ Wetherholt chipped in with 2 hits in 5 at-bats. Iván Herrera provided the Cardinals' biggest punch, going 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. The Cardinals put together enough offense to tie the game and force extras — getting back from three runs down is no small thing — but couldn't manufacture the decisive blow when it mattered most in the tenth.

Reds Offense Does Enough Damage

Cincinnati got contributions from multiple spots in its lineup. JJ Bleday went 3-for-4, and Eugenio Suárez matched him with 3 hits in 3 at-bats, driving in 1. Elly De La Cruz added 2 hits and an RBI in 4 at-bats. Dane Myers went 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI for Cincinnati.

Rhett Lowder started for the Reds and went 6.2 innings, allowing 4 earned runs on 8 hits with 5 strikeouts. He was good enough to keep the Reds ahead entering the late innings, even as St. Louis chipped away. Brock Burke gave up 1 earned run in 1.1 innings, and Zach McCambley threw a clean inning of two-strikeout relief. Pagán closed it out in the tenth with 2 strikeouts, no hits, and a walk — earning the win in the process.

Turning Point

The Cardinals' comeback from three runs down showed fight, and Strzelecki's three clean innings kept the door open. But the walk-off in the tenth was the defining moment — St. Louis could not strand the runner in extras, and Bruihl was unable to record a single out before the game ended. Battling back from three runs down in a division game only to lose in the tenth is a difficult result to absorb.

What's Next for the Cardinals

  • The Cardinals remain on the road at Cincinnati following this extra-inning defeat.
  • St. Louis will look to avoid a series deficit in the next game of this NL Central matchup.
  • The bullpen usage in extras will bear watching as the series continues.