ST. LOUIS_After an August that defied all expectations for the St. Louis Cardinals, September got off to a slower start.
The Cardinals were befuddled at the plate by Reds starter Luis Castillo, managing only two hits in his 6 2/3 innings and then none off the Cincinnati Reds bullpen. Meanwhile, Daniel Poncedeleon, who had looked untouchable against the Reds, had a fourth-inning meltdown that led to an early hook and a 4-0 loss to the Reds on Saturday at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals will go for their 11th straight series win in Sunday's game at Busch.
Poncedeleon pitched seven no-run, no-hit innings against the Reds in his big-league debut on July 23 and retired the first nine batters he faced on Saturday, giving him 10 no-hit, no-run innings against the Reds. But his fifth time through the lineup didn't go as well.
After retiring Billy Hamilton to start the fourth, he gave up back-to-back doubles to Jose Peraza and Joey Votto, a single to Scooter Gennett and another double, to Eugenio Suarez. After a visit from pitching coach Mike Maddux, Poncedeleon walked Scott Schebler and gave up a single to Phillip Ervin. That got Poncedeleon out of the game and brought in reliever Tyson Ross, making his first appearance since Sunday, who got a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
Poncedeleon allowed five hits in 3 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one.
Ross retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth before the Reds scored a run in the seventh to make it 4-0. Ross went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out three and walking none.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, weren't doing much. Matt Carpenter led off the game with a single and stole second, but he finished the inning there as Castillo got two strikeouts and an infield out. Yadier Molina led off the fourth with a walk but the inning ended with a runner on first. Ross led off the sixth with a single and finished the inning there.
Castillo, who came into the game with a 5.07 ERA, struck out 11 and allowed only two hits.
Meanwhile, in a rehab start for Memphis, Adam Wainwright pitched five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out seven. He could be back in the rotation late next week when the Cardinals are in Detroit.
