The Cincinnati Reds earned a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. Cincinnati played a good game overall. The offense did just enough to get the job done while the pitching handled the rest. It was an especially encouraging outing for starting pitcher Rhett Lowder, who has endured an up and down season.

Lowder turned in five innings of two-run baseball while striking out four hitters. He did walk two batters, but Lowder only allowed one hit. The bullpen did not allow any runs following Lowder's departure from the contest.

It was a big start for Lowder, who allowed eight earned runs across 2.1 innings of work in his most recent start before Friday. Overall, the right-handed hurler now holds a 5.61 ERA across 15 starts (18 total outings). He has 65 strikeouts in 77 innings on the mound as well. 

Lowder features a rather high ceiling. The idea of Lowder breaking out and finding consistent success remains realistic. At just 24 years old, Lowder could certainly still become a reliable starter at the big league level.

It has been a challenging campaign for him, but perhaps he can finish the season strong. The Reds would love for Lowder to finish the 2026 campaign with momentum for the 2027 season.

Reds Defeat Cardinals on Friday

The Reds earned a 4-2 victory as mentioned. Lowder and the bullpen led the way, but the offense helped matters as well. Cincinnati recorded four runs on 11 hits in the ball game.

Sal Stewart continued his National League Rookie of the Year push by recording two hits and an RBI. Trade candidate Eugenio Suarez also had two hits and two RBI in the victory.

The Reds' offense has been inconsistent. They have productive games, but the team also has stretches where scoring runs is an immense challenge. 

Nevertheless, they got the job done on Friday against the Cardinals.

Cincinnati is now 48-54 overall so far this year. The ball club is in last place in the National League Central standings. Meanwhile, they are six games back of an NL Wild Card spot. While competing for a postseason spot is a possibility, the Reds are likely going to sell before the trade deadline.

On Saturday, the Reds and Cardinals will continue their series in St. Louis at 7:15 PM ET as Cincinnati looks to earn another big win on the road.