Wainwright, Cardinals nip Reds 2-1

Andrea Karl, the Women's winner of the 15th Annual Go! St. Louis marathon, breaks the finish line tape prior to a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, April 19, 2015 in St. Louis. Karl was unable to break the tape on the day of the marathon after a different woman, who was later to have been disqualified for cheating, broke the tape. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Andrea Karl, the Women's winner of the 15th Annual Go! St. Louis marathon, breaks the finish line tape prior to a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, April 19, 2015 in St. Louis. Karl was unable to break the tape on the day of the marathon after a different woman, who was later to have been disqualified for cheating, broke the tape. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

By Associated Press April 19, 2015 3 min read

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Adam Wainwright outpitched Mike Leake, and Kolten Wong had a tiebreaking sacrifice in the eighth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 Sunday night to finish a three-game sweep.

Matt Carpenter hit his fifth career leadoff homer and singled for his eighth multi-hit effort this season as the Cardinals won their fifth straight. Jordan Walden worked around a leadoff hit by Brennan Boesch in the ninth to earn his first save on a night off for closer Trevor Rosenthal. The game lasted just 2 hours, 2 minutes.

Wainwright (2-1) gave up one run and seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks, improving to 3-0 against the Reds the last two seasons. Leake was more economical, throwing 86 pitches with 66 for strikes.

Leake (0-1) gave up both runs and four hits in eight innings for the Reds, who have totaled four runs during a four-game losing streak. Brandon Phillips had two hits and an RBI and Joey Votto singled in his first two trips.

Cincinnati loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth against Wainwright before Zack Cozart grounded into a forceout. Cozart is 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.