C. Trent Rosecrans

crosecrans@enquirer.com

ST. LOUIS – Reds manager Bryan Price could see the future and put the past behind him as Raisel Iglesias retired the Cardinals in order to record his first career save on Tuesday, the day after he watched two relievers blow a four-run lead in the ninth.

Iglesias picked up his first save and Michael Lorenzen the win as what could be the future of the Reds’ bullpen shined in a 7-4 Reds victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

“I feel really proud because I’ve waited for this moment, this is what I’ve wanted to be on the team, this is what I want to do,” Iglesias said of the save according to translator Julio Morillo. “I want to be the closer. I feel proud of myself, I feel as proud as when they told me I was going to be the Opening Day starter. I feel really, really happy right now.”

Said Price, “He’s stepped it up and I think we’re looking at a role that could be very comfortable for him and something we’ll have to weigh moving forward between starter and reliever.”

Box score

Since coming off the disabled list in late June, Iglesias has been used mostly as a multi-inning reliever, recording more than three outs in 12 of 16 appearances.

Tuesday night, he was tasked with getting just three outs — and that’s what he did, coming out of the bullpen to protect a three-run lead, the limit to earn a save, but one that seemed more daunting with the memory of Monday’s meltdown fresh in everyone’s head.

“It feels good when you come in from the bullpen and you throw everything you have in your shoulder,” Iglesias said, according to Morillo. “You come in for that inning, you try to keep the score, make sure they don’t score to help the team to win the game.”

That’s what he did, getting pinch-hitter Matt Adams to pop up to third baseman Eugenio Suarez in foul territory, Matt Carpenter to line out and then striking out Stephen Piscotty to end the game. Three up, three down — drama free in a situation that needed a lack of excitement for the battered Reds.

“This game was more important than probably just a single win,” Price said afterward.

In a game where neither starter — the Reds’ Brandon Finnegan or the Cardinals’ Mike Leake — was sharp, both pitchers left after six innings, with the score tied at three.

Both went six innings, allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits. Leake walked four and hit a batter, but didn’t strike anyone out. Finnegan walked six (one intentionally) and struck out five.

That meant the game would come down to the bullpens, something the Reds haven’t had much success with through most of the season, nor on Monday.

The Cardinals’ first reliever, Kevin Siegrist, walked Billy Hamilton to start the seventh — a move that nobody would recommend.

Hamilton took advantage, as is his wont, using his legs to move around the bases in his own style. First, he stole second (his second of three in the game) and then he advanced on a line drive to center field by Cozart on a play that perhaps no other player in baseball thinks to attempt, much less pull off. Then with the infield in, he scored easily as Joey Votto grounded a ball up the middle past the Cardinals’ middle infielders.

Lorenzen, who like Iglesias was unavailable for Monday’s game, looked as if he’d lock down the seventh and eighth, striking out the first two batters he faced, Carpenter and Piscotty. He had two strikes on Matt Holliday before the Cardinals’ veteran punched a 98-mph fastball into right for a double. Holliday then scored on Brandon Moss’ RBI single.

St. Louis reliever Matt Bowman had a similar start to the eighth inning against the bottom half of the Reds lineup, retiring the first two batters he faced before Tucker Barnhart hit a two-out double, bringing up Tyler Holt, who had entered the game in a triple-switch the previous inning. Holt, hitting in the pitcher’s spot, came into the game in right field, replacing Scott Schebler, who was hit by a pitch in his calf and had to be taken out, while Ivan De Jesus Jr. replaced second baseman Brandon Phillips (quadriceps) and Lorenzen came into pitch.

Holt, who has started just one game since July and had just two hits in that time, came through with a double to score Barnhart, giving the Reds the lead back, 5-4.

That turned the lineup over and Billy Hamilton dribbled a ball past pitcher Bowman to second baseman Carpenter. Carpenter had to hurry but ultimately didn’t have a play on Hamilton at first. The ball scooted under his glove as he looked up to check on Hamilton and then for a split-second he looked like he pouted and Holt who had rounded third took advantage of the lapse, running home to put the Reds up 6-4.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, these past two months, and to finally feel like you contributed takes a little bit of the pressure off your back,” Holt said. “I do belong here and it’s good to contribute to a win instead of just fill a void.”

Hamilton then stole second (his third steal of the game and ninth in the last three). Cozart appeared to pop up to end the inning, but center fielder Tommy Pham went back on first contact and neither he nor right fielder Piscotty could get to the ball, as it landed in for a hit and Hamilton scored easily.

Lorenzen gave up a leadoff single in the eighth but struck out Jedd Gyorko looking and got Tommy Pham to ground into a double play to hand the game over to Iglesias.

“For us to bounce back like that, it was amazing,” said Hamilton, who had two hits, two walks, three steals and three runs. “We all play hard. You can’t blame anyone for any situation, win or lose, today was one of the good games where we can bounce back and get the win against a great team.”