Taylor Gambles, Reds Lose

One night after Reggie Taylor got a big hit for the Cincinnati Reds, he made a huge mistake.

St. Louis catcher Mike Matheny threw out Taylor trying to steal third for the second out of the ninth inning, helping St. Louis finish off a 3-2 victory Friday in a showdown for first place in the National League Central.

Taylor’s two-out, two-run triple in the ninth inning Thursday against the Chicago Cubs sent that game into extra innings, and Cincinnati won, 5-4, in the 10th.

This time, Taylor was too aggressive on the bases.

“I got a good jump, but he made a perfect throw,” said Taylor, who was running on his own. “I took a gamble and lost the game for us. If I’m safe, it’s a great play, but I’m out and it’s the worst play in the world.”

Jason Simontacchi pitched seven impressive innings, and Placido Polanco hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh for St. Louis.

Albert Pujols drove in two runs for the Cardinals, who had lost three of four after the death of pitcher Darryl Kile. They are 7-3 against Cincinnati and two games ahead in the division after ending the Reds’ three-game winning streak.

“We’re right there fighting for first place,” Polanco said. “Every game’s going to be important.”

Jason Isringhausen hit Taylor with a pitch leading off the ninth, and he was sacrificed to second. But after Matheny’s throw caught Taylor, pinch-hitter Austin Kearns’ single was wasted.

Isringhausen struck out Todd Walker for his 17th save in 19 chances. The closer recovered after his second blown save the night before, giving up two runs in the ninth inning of an 11-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

“After a blown save, it’s always nice to go out and get one so you can get rid of those memories from the night before,” Isringhausen said.

Juan Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, his 15th, in the fourth for the Reds. Encarnacion has 13 hits in his last 30 at-bats.