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Working with first baseman Spencer Steer, the Reds’ automatic base runner to begin the 11th, on third base after a wild pitch, Maton saw Benson foul off a cutter, landed his sweeper for a called strike, and got Benson to whiff on a cutter for the inning’s first out. The strikeout was one of three Maton collected in the frame as he worked around a walk to keep the Cardinals in a tie game that would be untied in the next half frame by the catcher who had just entered on defense.

Brought into the game after starting catcher Pedro Pages was substituted out for a pinch runner in the 10th inning, Yohel Pozo drove in Jordan Walker from second base with a single to right field that sent the Cardinals flooding out of the dugout to celebrate a 6-5 walk-off win vs. Cincinnati that had contributions from multiple players.

“I think it's just guys individually doing whatever that their job is,� Maton said. “I can't say enough good things about Pozo coming into that game and just absolutely fighting for every pitch back there, and just working so hard to frame, to receive, and just doing absolutely everything he could.

"I think that's just how our team is. Whatever your role is, they're going to go out there and just do everything possible to accomplish that. … I think that's just ultimately what got us that win today. It was a grindy win.�

To reach extra innings vs. the Reds after shortstop Elly De La Cruz’s two-run homer in the seventh inning helped Cincinnati jump to a 5-2 lead, the Cardinals (42-35) received timely hitting, key plays on defense, and a "sneaky" relief effort in a game starter Sonny Gray said could easily have been taken as a loss.

“I think I've said this numerous times. I feel like it's one of those moments where we could — it's hot — we could have just laid down and given up,� Gray said. “That's not what happened. That's a huge game to win. You look back and you remember games like that."

Closing the deficit

After their offense cooled off on a sweltering Saturday in St. Louis, the Cardinals bats broke through in the eighth inning with a two-out single from Victor Scott II. At that point, Scott’s single represented the Cardinals’ first hit since Lars Nootbaar singled with one out in the second inning.

Scott’s hit was followed by a single from Brendan Donovan that advanced him to third and set the stage for Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson, the latter of whom hit a two-run homer in the first inning, to drive in a run apiece to chip the Reds’ lead to one run.

The two-out rally forced the Reds to summon their closer, Emilio Pagan, from the bullpen to try and convert a four-out save. Pagan struck out Willson Contreras, swinging, to end the eighth inning but ended up with his third blown save of the season two pitches into the ninth inning when Nolan Arenado pulled a homer to left field.

“Not just for me, obviously it was big for us," Arenado said. "Against a good pitcher. They've got a great bullpen. They're not easy to face, and we fought back. That was really great by us. I was just happy to come through right there.�

Gray, Donovan prevent runs

While they held onto a one-run lead, Gray’s positioning to back up Arenado on a throw from the outfield in the third inning and Donovan’s diving grab on ground ball in the fifth inning helped prevent runs on plays that involved De La Cruz.

In the third inning, a relay throw from Winn to third base in attempt to prevent De La Cruz from tripling could not be picked by Arenado. As the baseball rolled toward the Reds’ dugout, Gray’s positioning put him in close enough range to scurry over, scoop up the baseball and throw out De La Cruz at home plate as he tried to score.

To help Gray complete five innings, Donovan’s sharp play at second base stopped De La Cruz from collecting an RBI with runners on first and third base and two outs in the fifth.

On a ball De La Cruz hit away from Donovan’s glove-side, the utility Gold Glover made a full diving extension to prevent the baseball from trickling into right field and made a throw in time ahead of the speedy shortstop for an inning-ending out that preserved a 2-1 lead.

“That was a great play,� Gray said of Donovan’s effort.

‘Sneaky’ bullpen effort

Before Ryan Helsley and Maton stranded runners in scoring position in extra inning, efforts by Andre Granillo and John King to limit the Reds to one run across the eighth and ninth innings kept the Cardinals one Arenado swing away from a tied game.

The lone run allowed in that stretch came against Granillo. The rookie right-hander recorded the final out of the seventh inning and had a run score against him on sacrifice fly from Benson in the eighth.

Granillo’s lone run allowed in 6 2/3 innings to begin his big-league career.

The effort was followed by King’s success in retiring the lone two batters he faced, both of whom were lefties, on three pitches to keep the score at 5-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

“Sneaky,� Marmol said of the relief while the Cardinals chased the Reds. “Granillo being able to come in and keep the score somewhat close for us there and King being able to get his two lefties and keep the score, it kind of allowed the rest of the (bullpen) to do what they did today. Overall, it was just a very good team win.�