ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Lars Nootbaar hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium III.

The Cardinals (34-28) trailed 5-4 after Matt McLain’s two-run homer in the fourth gave Cincinnati a 5-3 lead. St. Louis had jumped ahead 3-0 in the second on run-scoring singles by Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn. The Reds answered with three runs in the third on an error and a sacrifice fly, then added McLain’s blast.

The Cardinals cut the deficit to 5-4 in the fifth before Nootbaar’s pinch-hit homer off Sam Moll (1-4) scored José Fermín. George Soriano (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Riley O’Brien earned his 16th save despite allowing two hits in the ninth.

Jordan Walker homered for St. Louis, which outhit Cincinnati 12-9. Nick Lodolo started for the Reds, allowing four runs over five innings. The Reds fell to 31-32. Attendance was 26,904. Time of game: 2:53.