Cardinals Take First Game Of Crucial Series With Reds, 3-2, Behind Strong Outing By Garcia

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Jaime Garcia kept an unbeaten streak against Cincinnati intact with 6 2/3 effective innings and Jon Jay set the tone with a first-inning RBI triple and run scored, as St. Louis slowed the Reds' roll with a 3-2 win at Busch Stadium to open a crucial three-game series.

Garcia (13-6) won his fourth start in as many tries versus the Reds this season by limiting surging Cincinnati to six hits and two runs while striking out six.

Ryan Franklin picked up his 23rd save with a spotless ninth to give the Cardinals their fifth straight win against the Reds. Skip Schumaker collected two hits and an RBI in the much-needed win that snapped St. Louis' season-high five-game skid.

The last time these two teams met the Cardinals earned a three-game sweep that gave them sole possession of first place in the National League Central.

Since then Cincinnati had won 14 of 18 while the Cards went 5-13. Friday's result cut the Reds' lead in the division to seven games.

Bronson Arroyo (14-9) suffered the loss for giving up three runs and six hits in six innings. Paul Janish provided a solo home run in the loss that stunted the Reds' four-game win streak.

The Cardinals jumped on Arroyo in the first when Schumaker singled, Jay tripled to right to score the game's first run and Albert Pujols made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.

St. Louis struck again in the second when Brendan Ryan singled and Garcia put runners at second and third with a double. Schumaker pushed the lead to 3-0 with a groundout.

Janish got one back with his home run in the third and Jonny Gomes doubled in Scott Rolen an inning later to make it a one-run game.

The Reds managed just two walks in the next two innings until Chris Heisey opened the seventh with a double. Garcia got the next two and Mitchell Boggs came on to strike out Drew Stubbs to preserve the lead.

Kyle McClellan issued back-to-back walks in the eighth but recovered to get Gomes on a liner to right and Ryan Hanigan to hit into a fielder's choice. Franklin's efforts in the ninth closed it out.

The Cardinals have won 11 of 16 versus the Reds this year...Arroyo is 1-3 in five starts this year versus the Cardinals...Pujols was hitless for the fourth straight game covering 13 at-bats after St. Louis was swept in three games by Houston to end a 10-game road trip at 2-8. Pujols now has 96 RBI...The Reds managed just six total hits.