Cardinals starting pitcher Darryl Kile. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        ST. LOUIS - Reds manager Bob Boone says one of the big differences between the 2001 Reds and the 2002 Reds is this year's team does the little things to win the tough games.

        The Reds lost a tough one Friday to the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 on a cold night at Busch Stadium, largely because the Cardinals did the little things better.

        The loss snapped the Reds' four-game winning streak and stretched the Cardinals' winning streak to five.

        The Cardinals scored the go-ahead and the insurance run on sacrifice flies, one of the little things the Reds haven't been very good at.

        That was clear in the seventh inning, when Brady Clark hit into a double play with the bases loaded and one out. In St. Louis' half of the inning, Fernando Vina hit a sacrifice fly with runners at first and third and one out.

        “Double plays in sacrifice fly situations don't score many runs,” Boone said.

        Scott Sullivan (3-1) took the loss.

        “It was a pretty good battle until the end when I gave it up,” he said. “They did what it took to win the game.”

        The Cardinals took the first game of the four-game National League Central showdown. The loss cut the Reds' lead in the Central to four games.

        The game was delayed 59 minutes at the start by rain. It was 47 degrees at the start and dropped into the 30s.

        St. Louis starter Darryl Kile was perfect through five innings and the Reds only had two hits on the night. When fthe Reds faced Kile six days earlier, they scored six runs off him. He was a different pitcher Friday.

Todd Walker makes the throw to first after forcing out Fernando Vina (4) at second. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “We just didn't hit,” Boone said. “We had a couple of chances to break it open and we didn't.”

        The Reds stayed in it until late because the starter, Elmer Dessens, was able to match Kile zero-for-zero until Albert Pujols led off the sixth with a homer to left, Pujols' sixth of the year but first since April 24.

        The Reds came right back in the seventh. Austin Kearns led off with a double. Adam Dunn walked. Aaron Boone bunted the runners over.

        The Cardinals walked Todd Walker intentionally. Kile then hit LaRue with the first pitch to force in Kearns for a 1-1 tie.

        Clark pinch-hit for Dessens and bounced into an inning-ending double play.

        Dessens went six innings, allowing five hits.

        Sullivan replaced Dessens. It was Sullivan's first outing since getting hit on his right (pitching) elbow three days ago.

        Kerry Robinson led off the seventh with a single. Mike Matheny struck out trying to bunt him over. But Placido Polanco, hitting for Kile, singled to send Robinson to third.

        Vina hit a sacrifice to deep right to get the run home and make it 2-1.

Albert Pujols is congratulated by Tino Martinez following his solo home run in the sixth inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Sullivan didn't use the ready excuse that he was pitching for the first time since the injury.

        “They were just a lot better than me tonight,” Sullivan said. “They came after me pretty good. My best wasn't good enough.”

        That was clear in the eighth. The Cardinals got back-to-back one-out hits off Sullivan in the eighth to put runners at second and third. Luis Pineda came on to replace Sullivan. He intentionally walked Edgar Renteria, then gave up a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo to make it 3-1.

        The Reds' other big chance came in the second. Kearns and Dunn started the innings with walks. Boone worked the count to 3-2 before taking a called third strike.

        Walker also got the count to 3-2. Kearns and Dunn were both running when Walker sliced a line drive to right-center. Center fielder Jim Edmunds ran it down. By that time, Kearns had already rounded third. Edmonds flipped to second for an easy double play.

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