ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Andre Pallante pitched seven dominant innings and Iván Herrera drove in two runs with a double during a six-run sixth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 on Saturday at Busch Stadium III.

The Cardinals snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 53-51, while the Reds fell to 48-55. The loss was Cincinnati’s second in its last three games and left the Reds 2-1 on the road trip that began Monday in Seattle.

Pallante scattered two hits, struck out eight and walked one over seven innings to earn his 11th victory against six losses. The right-hander retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced and faced only one jam, which he escaped in the fourth inning after a single and a stolen base. Pallante threw 97 pitches, 68 for strikes, and lowered his ERA.

Hunter Greene took the loss for Cincinnati, allowing one unearned run on three hits in five innings. Greene walked two and struck out three. He fell to 2-2.

The Reds managed only three hits total, all singles, and struck out 14 times. St. Louis collected 10 hits, including three doubles, and drew four walks.

The game turned decisively in the bottom of the sixth, when the Cardinals sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on five hits, a walk and a sacrifice bunt. The outburst turned a 1-0 nail-biter into a rout and gave the Cardinals their largest margin of victory in a home shutout since June 28, 2023.

St. Louis had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning without benefit of a hit off Greene. Leadoff batter JJ Wetherholt reached on a fielding error by Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz. Jordan Walker followed with a single, and Alec Burleson lined a single to left that scored Wetherholt. Greene escaped further damage by striking out Herrera and inducing a double play from Lars Nootbaar.

The game remained 1-0 through five innings largely because of Pallante, who retired the side in order in the first, second, third and fifth innings. The Reds’ only baserunners against him came on a one-out single by De La Cruz in the third and a leadoff single by JJ Bleday in the fourth. After Bleday’s hit, Eugenio Suárez struck out but Bleday stole second. Pallante then got Tyler Stephenson on a groundout and Noelvi Marte on a lineout to end the threat.

Greene departed after five innings having thrown 91 pitches. The Reds turned to left-hander Sam Moll to start the sixth, and the Cardinals quickly broke the game open.

Wetherholt drew a leadoff walk against Moll. Jordan Walker popped out for the first out, but Burleson lined a single to right, sending Wetherholt to second. Herrera then drilled a double to left, scoring Wetherholt and Burleson to make it 3-0.

Moll walked Nootbaar on four pitches. Masyn Winn singled to right, loading the bases. Bryan Torres then singled to right, scoring Herrera and keeping the bases loaded. Blaze Jordan followed with a single to right that scored Nootbaar and Winn, pushing the lead to 6-0. Torres moved to third on the hit.

Nathan Church laid down a sacrifice bunt to first, scoring Torres for the seventh run. Wetherholt struck out on a foul tip to end the inning.

The Cardinals added two more hits in the seventh against reliever Alan Busenitz, including a single by Burleson and a single by Herrera, but could not push across another run.

Gordon Graceffo relieved Pallante and pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. He retired the final six batters after walking De La Cruz to open the ninth.

For the Reds, De La Cruz reached base twice on a single and a walk but was left stranded both times. Bleday singled and stole a base in the fourth. Sal Stewart singled in the ninth as part of a two-out rally that ended with a strikeout and a groundout.

The Cardinals’ defense played errorless ball, and second baseman Wetherholt turned a double play in the first inning despite going 0 for 3 at the plate.

The attendance was 33,975, and the game lasted 2 hours, 19 minutes.

The win evened the three-game series after the Reds had won the opener 4-2 on Friday. The teams play the rubber match Sunday.

St. Louis opens a four-game home series against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, while Cincinnati returns home to host the Cleveland Guardians.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 4. Interstat’s ELO system had given the Cardinals a 55.70 percent probability to win. Cincinnati had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5, and the combined total of 7 runs went over the over-under line of 8.