CINCINNATI -- Pinch-hitter Chris Heisey's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth gave the Reds a 1-0 win over the Cardinals on Wednesday at Great American Ball Park.
Ryan Ludwick began the inning against reliever Carlos Martinez with a lined single to left field, and Todd Frazier followed with a rolling single to left field. Zack Cozart's sacrifice bunt moved the runners up 90 feet, and Brayan Pena was intentionally walked to load the bases for Heisey.
With St. Louis moving right fielder Allen Craig in to give it five infielders, Heisey scorched a line drive into left-center field for the game-winner.
 
Heisey ends Reds' scoring drought, delivers first win
 
Because showers delayed their "Opening Night" first pitch by two hours and 40 minutes, the Reds made the inspired move to have their scheduled postgame fireworks show begin before the game.
Once it started, young pitchers Tony Cingrani and Michael Wacha prevented any hitting fireworks.
Cingrani began his second big league season impressively with seven scoreless innings and two hits allowed. He walked two and struck out nine.
Combining Cingrani's night with Johnny Cueto's performance on Opening Day, Reds starting pitchers have allowed one run and five hits with three walks and 17 strikeouts. Neither was able to notch a win.
Through his first six innings, Cingrani struck out eight batters and faced one over the minimum.
Just as impressive, Wacha gave up three hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings with one walk, one hit batsman and seven strikeouts. Two of the hits were provided by Joey Votto, who notched career hit No. 1,000 with a first-inning two-out double.
After retiring his first nine batters, Cingrani gave up a Matt Carpenter single to center field to begin the fourth. In the fifth, Matt Adams drew a one-out walk, but he was picked off.
St. Louis threatened in the seventh when Jhonny Peralta drew a leadoff walk and Craig hit a one-out single. With two outs, Cingrani threw five-straight fastballs to Adams before striking him out with an 81-mph slider away to end the inning on his 92nd pitch.
Cincinnati's best chance against Wacha came in the fourth when he hit Ludwick with a pitch and walked Frazier to load the bases with two outs. Cozart bounced into a force play at third base to end the threat.
Going back to his rookie 2013 season, Wacha has held the Reds scoreless for 16 2/3 innings.
The Reds' scoreless streak of 17 innings to start the season is the longest in modern franchise history. The 1909 and 1934 teams both started their seasons with 13 scoreless innings.
In splitting the first two games of the series, both teams have one run scored over their first 18 innings.
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
 

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