ST. LOUIS (AP) — TJ Friedl had a two-run single and scored Cincinnati’s other run, all in the fifth inning, as the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 on Tuesday night.

“TJ came through with a big hit,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said. “You never know if it’s going to be enough.”

The Reds’ Elly De La Cruz stole two bases after walking in the first inning, raising his MLB-leading total to 64 stolen bases. He was thrown out in the third inning when the Cardinals pitched out.

“He’s been showing that all year,” Bell said. “He had great at-bats tonight to create those opportunities on the bases. He can make things happen, but it all starts with the at-bats.”

Rhett Lowder (1-1) earned his first win in his third big-league appearance. The 22-year-old right-hander, who was a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, worked five scoreless inning and finished with three strikeouts and no walks.

“I’m glad we got out of here with the win,” Lowder said. “I lean on my ability to get the ball on the ground. I trust these guys in the field. They do a great job.”

Emilio Pagán pitched the ninth for his first save this season and 33rd of his career. He loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before striking out the next three batters — rookies Jordan Walker and Thomas Saggese and then pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter.

“It was crazy,” Pagán said. “First off all, I had a blast. It was probably the best I’ve ever pitched to get in that scenario. I felt like I was throwing the ball super well. In those spots, you just try and execute. Once I got the first strikeout, I just tried to be as nasty as possible. It was a fun way to finish it.”

Five Reds pitchers combined for the team’s sixth shutout this season.

“We didn’t have a whole lot going on the whole game,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “We didn’t string anything together in that whole game. We had a little life there at the end potentially pulling something off, but it just wasn’t enough today.

”Walker and Saggese are going to take their best shot. There are times they’re going to come through. There are times they’re going to get beat. … You take your shot there with Carpenter.”

Andre Pallante (6-8) pitched five innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out six, with five walks, a balk and a wild pitch.

“It’s mentally draining, especially when you’re out there focusing so hard with runners on base I felt like every inning,” Pallanete said. “And every inning I felt like every one of them was going to steal. … I was definitely exhausted toward the end of that game.”

After stranding six runners through four innings, the Reds broke through with three runs in the fifth off Pallante.

Jonathan India walked and De La Cruz singled. A wild pitch advanced both runners. With one out, Friedl singled through the hole at shortstop, driving in both runners. Friedl’s single snapped an 0-for-8 skid. Friedl went to third on a balk and stolen base and scored on a high chopper to Pallante, who could only throw to first for an out.

Red manager David Bell was ejected in the sixth inning after De La Cruz was called out on strikes. It was Bell’s fifth ejection this season and 32nd in his career.

Brendan Donovan had three singles in four at-bats for the Cardinals.

TRANSACTIONS

Cardinals: Recalled INF Thomas Saggese from Triple-A Memphis. Optioned OF Victor Scott II to Memphis. Saggese was in the lineup Tuesday, hitting seventh and playing shortstop. The 22-year-old Saggese was acquired from Texas last summer in the Jordan Montgomery trade.

TRAINING ROOM

Reds: 2B Jonathan India (left elbow discomfort) returned to the lineup Tuesday. He left Sunday’s game against the New York Mets after striking out in the sixth inning.

Cardinals: INF Brendan Donovan (foot infection) missed the last two games. He returned to the lineup playing second base and leading off. … RHP Lance Lynn (knee strain) will be activated Wednesday and will start.

UP NEXT

Lance Lynn (6-4, 4.06 ERA) is 9-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 10 career starts (11 appearances) against Cincinnati at Busch Stadium. The Reds have not announced a starter.

Reds 3, Cardinals 0

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
India 2b	3	1	0	0	2	0	.243
De La Cruz ss	3	1	1	0	2	2	.260
Stephenson c	5	0	1	0	0	2	.260
Friedl cf	4	1	1	2	0	0	.215
Steer lf	3	0	0	0	1	2	.231
France 1b	4	0	1	1	0	0	.311
Fraley rf	3	0	1	0	1	1	.276
Espinal 3b	4	0	2	0	0	1	.268
Rosario dh	4	0	0	0	0	2	.188
Totals	33	3	7	3	6	10

St. Louis	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Donovan 2b-lf	4	0	3	0	0	0	.270
Burleson dh	4	0	0	0	0	0	.271
Goldschmidt 1b	3	0	2	0	1	0	.246
Arenado 3b	4	0	2	0	0	2	.268
Nootbaar lf-cf	3	0	0	0	1	1	.242
Walker rf	4	0	0	0	0	1	.173
Saggese ss	4	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Pagés c	3	0	1	0	0	1	.247
b-Carpenter ph	1	0	0	0	0	1	.236
Siani cf	2	0	0	0	0	1	.245
a-Fermín ph-2b	1	0	0	0	0	0	.145
Totals	33	0	8	0	2	9

Cincinnati	000	030	000_3	7	0
St. Louis	000	000	000_0	8	0

a-grounded out for Siani in the 8th. b-struck out for Pagés in the 9th.

LOB–Cincinnati 9, St. Louis 8. 2B–Fraley (17), Goldschmidt (28). RBIs–Friedl 2 (48), France (14). SB–De La Cruz 2 (64), Friedl (9). CS–De La Cruz (15), Nootbaar (3).

Runners left in scoring position–Cincinnati 6 (Friedl, Fraley, Stephenson, Rosario 3); St. Louis 4 (Nootbaar, Carpenter 2, Arenado). RISP–Cincinnati 1 for 11; St. Louis 0 for 6.

Runners moved up–France. GIDP–Burleson.

DP–Cincinnati 1 (France, De La Cruz, France).

Cincinnati	IP		H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Lowder, W, 1-1	5		5	0	0	0	3	84	0.59
Wilson, H, 11	1		1	0	0	1	2	23	4.60
Santillan, H, 3	1		0	0	0	0	1	8	2.25
Suter, H, 2	1		0	0	0	0	0	7	3.38
Pagán, S, 1-2	1		2	0	0	1	3	24	3.67

St. Louis	IP		H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Pallante, L, 6-8	5		6	3	3	5	6	88	4.13
Fernandez		1-3	1	0	0	1	0	17	3.13
King	2		0	0	0	0	2	16	3.09
Roycroft	1	2-3	0	0	0	0	2	16	4.01

Inherited runners-scored–King 2-0. WP–Pallante.

Umpires–Home, Larry Vanover; First, Chris Segal; Second, Nate Tomlinson; Third, Tom Hanahan.

T–2:34. A–30,350 (44,494).