Ryan Helsley secured his 29th consecutive save, the longest streak in the majors, while Alec Burleson drove in the lone run, propelling the St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Helsley pitched a flawless ninth inning, supported by left fielder Brendan Donovan’s impressive leaping catch at the wall to seal the victory on Stuart Fairchild’s deep fly ball.
Donovan, a former utility Gold Glove winner, commented, “I thought it might go over. I know how fly balls behave in this stadium. I tracked it well.”
Manager Oliver Marmol praised Donovan’s defensive prowess, noting, “He made a great read on it. It traveled farther than expected. A really solid play. He’s been exceptional out there recently.”
Cincinnati manager David Bell acknowledged, “Off the bat, I thought it had a chance. This ballpark is spacious. You just have to put a good swing on it. We fell short tonight. Credit to the Cardinals’ pitchers.”
Helsley has been flawless in saves since his season debut loss against the Dodgers on March 30, where he also earned a win.
One more save will tie Helsley with Hall of Famer Lee Smith’s 30 saves before the MLB All-Star Game in 1993, a Cardinals record.
Andre Pallante (4-3) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, limiting the Reds to four hits while striking out five, walking three, and hitting a batter. Pallante has now won all five decisions against the Reds in his career across 14 appearances.
“As long as I hit my spots, I got good outcomes,” Pallante reflected. “Command is key.”
