The situations were almost identical for Chase Petty, and the Cincinnati Reds were once again calling on the prospect for a spot start in a split doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals.
More than a year earlier, on April 30, 2025, it was the same scenario for what was then Petty’s MLB debut: A spot start in a doubleheader against St. Louis. The night was ultimately bittersweet as Petty lasted just 2 1/3 innings against the Cardinals, allowing nine runs on seven hits.
But that experience day made Saturday, May 23, all the more poignant. Tasked again with facing St. Louis in the nightcap of a doubleheader, Petty was a far cry from the debutant the Cardinals chased in less than three innings of 13 months earlier. Petty demonstrated aspects of his year-over-year progress, generally cruising through five innings and allowing just one run. In the bottom of the fifth, the Reds posted a five-spot and gave the 23-year-old a 5-1 lead to work with.
Petty ran into trouble in the top of the sixth, hitting Iván Herrera with his first pitch of the frame. Alec Burleson then doubled, and Jordan Walker followed with a three-run homer. That slashed Cincinnati’s lead to 5-4, and it knocked Petty out of the game.
Petty’s showing was representative of his improvement, and it was almost good enough to earn his first career MLB win in four attempts, too. Petty’s personal victory was squandered when Tony Santillan blew a 6-4 lead in the ninth inning.
The Reds went on to win 7-6 in 11 innings, and earned a much-needed win against a National League Central opponent. And that was exactly what Cincinnati needed from Petty: A reasonable shot against a divisional foe at a moment when the club needed a pitcher to step up.
While Petty’s had a mixed bag of results in Triple-A, Reds manager Terry Francona said, his May 23 outing was his second start this month that put Cincinnati in a competitive position when it had limited starting pitching options.
On May 4, Petty was forced into action for the Reds against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings, ultimately not factoring in the decision in an eventual Cincinnati loss. But that start came in the wake of Cincinnati losing Brandon Williamson and Rhett Lowder to the injured list just days apart.
In 2025, Petty allowed 13 earned runs and eight walks in six career innings (two starts and a relief appearance). So far in 2026, he’s pitched 10 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs in two starts.
The bats also showed up for Petty on May 23, which hadn’t been the case in Game 1 of the doubleheader when the Reds were limited to two second-inning hits.
In the fifth inning, Elly De La Cruz belted a three-run homer to left field for a 3-1 lead. It was De La Cruz’s 12th homer of the season.
Later in the inning, Nathaniel Lowe clobbered a two-run home run to right-center field for a 5-1 lead. The homer was Lowe’s eighth of the year and second of the day as he also homered in the first game of the doubleheader.
After Walker’s three-run home run to left-center cut Cincinnati’s lead to 5-4, the Reds responded through Dane Myers’ double in the left-center field gap, which plated Spencer Steer for a 6-4 advantage.
Cincinnati’s bullpen received a midday shakeup during the intermission between games on May 23. Connor Phillips and Jose Franco were both optioned to Triple-A Louisville while righty Zach Maxwell was recalled from Louisville. Lefty Caleb Ferguson was also activated from the 15-day injured list.
Phillips, who was key to the Reds’ successful postseason push in 2025, headed for Louisville with 5.53 ERA in 25 appearances. His 28 walks over 27 2/3 innings lead all Major League relievers, and several of those walks proved consequential during his appearance in the seventh inning of the 8-1 loss in Game 1.
In Game 2, the bullpen seemed settled until the ninth. Brock Burke (1 1/3 innings) stopped the bleeding in the sixth inning and combined with Graham Ashcraft (1 2/3 innings) to blank the Cardinals in the seventh and eighth innings.
Santillan allowed a José Fermín solo home run and an RBI single by Walker in the ninth inning to tie to the game. Blake Dunn rescued Cincinnati from being swept in the doubleheader by driving in the game-winning run via Spencer Steer in the 11th inning.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds beat Cardinals in 11 innings, split doubleheader
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
