ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ryan Helsley closed for his major league-leading 29th consecutive save and Alec Burleson drove in the lone run, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Helsley pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Left fielder Brendan Donovan made a leaping catch in front of the wall in left to end the game.
Helsley hasn’t blown a save since March 30, his first outing of the season against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Helsley did earn the victory in that game.
With one more save, Helsley will tie the 30 saves that Hall of Famer Lee Smith posted in 1993 before the MLB All-Star Game, a Cardinals record.
Andre Pallante (4-3) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, checking the Reds on four hits. He struck out five while, walked three and hit a batter.
Pallante wriggled out of a two-out bases-loaded jam in the fifth by getting Elly De La Cruz to ground out.
Frankie Montas (3-6), who signed as a free agent in the offseason, allowed one run on two hits in six innings.
The Cardinals scored on a sacrifice fly by Burleson in the third inning. Michael Siani led off with a double and took third on a ground out.
TRANSACTIONS
Reds: Selected C Austin Wynns from Triple A-Louisville. They also placed C Tyler Stephenson on the paternity list, and designated OF Peyton Burdick for assignment.
Cardinals: Called up RHP Gordon Graceffo, the team’s No. 8 prospect and a fifth-round pick in 2021, from Triple-A Memphis. He was 8-5 with a 3.84 ERA in 14 starts. … Optioned RHP Kyle Leahy to Memphis.
TRAINERS ROOM
Reds: OF Jake Fraley (right calf contusion) and 3B Jeimer Candelario (hamstring tendinitis) each missed their third straight game. Neither player is expected to require an IL stint.
Cardinals: OF Lars Nootbaar (oblique strain) began a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield on Friday. He was hurt May 29.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (9-4, 2.81) was set to start Saturday against RHP Carson Spiers (1-1, 3.45).
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