McGreevy Leads the Way as Cardinals Finish Sweep of Reds

Cardinals 5, Reds 3
McGreevy Leads the Way as Cardinals Finish Sweep of Reds
The Cardinal Chronicle
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

The St. Louis Cardinals completed the weekend sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium, riding another composed start from Michael McGreevy and enough timely offense to secure a 5-3 win over their National League Central rival.

It was not the loudest win of the weekend, but it may have been the clearest statement. After winning the first two games with a 10-3 rout on Friday and a dramatic 6-5 comeback on Saturday, the Cardinals finished the job Sunday behind the type of pitching performance that has become McGreevy’s calling card. St. Louis led Cincinnati 5-3 in Sunday’s game, according to the live MLB schedule feed.

Cincinnati struck first, but McGreevy did what he has done so often this season — he absorbed the early traffic, settled the game down and gave the Cardinals a chance to answer. He did not overpower the Reds as much as he outpitched them, changing speeds, working ahead and keeping the game from turning into the high-scoring contest Cincinnati needed to avoid the sweep.

That has been the story with McGreevy. He may not light up the radar gun or impress the stat models, but he competes, throws strikes and keeps his club in the game. Sometimes baseball is still played the old-fashioned way: get the ball, throw it over the plate, trust your defense and walk off the mound with your team still standing.

The Cardinals’ offense did its part, answering Cincinnati’s early lead with timely at-bats and enough pressure to pull ahead. This lineup is starting to build an identity around resilience. Friday night was an avalanche. Saturday was late-inning thunder. Sunday was more controlled — less fireworks, more business.

Once the Cardinals grabbed the lead, the bullpen handled the rest. Riley O’Brien closed the door late, securing the win and putting the finishing touch on a series that carried weight beyond the standings. Sweeping a division opponent in June does not win the pennant, but it sends a message. The Cardinals are no longer just hanging around — they are stacking wins.

The weekend sweep also pushed St. Louis further above .500 and added another layer to what has become one of the more surprising stories in the National League. The team is still flawed. There are still roster questions and innings that get a little too interesting. But there is no denying the energy around this club right now.

They are winning different kinds of games, and that matters.

On Friday, they punished the Reds with a six-run sixth inning in a 10-3 win. On Saturday, Lars Nootbaar delivered the swing of the series with a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth, while Jimmy Crooks helped save the game with a critical ABS challenge in the ninth. On Sunday, McGreevy gave them stability, and the Cardinals finished the sweep the way good clubs are supposed to — by taking care of business at home.

For a team trying to prove that its early-season surge is more than a cute story, this was a strong weekend.

The Reds came to St. Louis trying to slow the Cardinals. Instead, they left swept.

The Cardinals took all three from Cincinnati at Busch Stadium, winning in three very different ways. That is a good sign for a club trying to build a sustainable identity. They slugged, they rallied, and then they leaned on pitching to finish the job.

McGreevy gave the Cardinals another dependable start and again showed why he has become such an important stabilizer in the rotation. He may not be flashy, but there is real value in a pitcher who keeps the game under control and gives the offense room to work.

The Cardinals’ bullpen did its job after McGreevy handed over the baseball. Riley O’Brien closed it out, showing again why St. Louis trusts him in the ninth inning.

The Cardinals did not win this series with one formula. Friday was a blowout. Saturday was a dramatic comeback. Sunday was a controlled, pitching-led victory. That variety matters over the long season.

A sweep over Cincinnati in June is not just another series win. These are the games that matter when the Wild Card and division races tighten later in the summer. The Cardinals protected home field and took care of a Central Division opponent.

The Bottom Line

The Cardinals completed the sweep, moved deeper into the summer with momentum, and once again gave their fans reason to believe this season may have a little more life than expected.

McGreevy set the tone. The offense answered. O’Brien finished it.

That’s a winner — and that’s a sweep.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

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Photo Credit: Michael McGreevy | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images