CINCINNATI • A winning team when they last played in St. Louis, a team with a strong rotation, a team with a reshaped bullpen, and a team still in need of better offense when they started on this road trip, the Cardinals return home with less than what they had.
Except for wins.
They have the same amount of wins.
The Cincinnati Reds completed an emphatic sweep of the Cardinals with a 5-2 victory Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. The Reds ended the four-game trouncing by striking out Yadier Molina, a favorite foil of the team and its fans, so much so that they once booed him during the All-Star Game introductions here.