CINCINNATI -- Since the All-Star break, the last-place Reds have traded away another star and turned into a formidable team.Brandon Phillips had three hits and left-hander Brandon Finnegan allowed two singles in six innings on Thursday, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-0 victory and a rare series win over the St. Louis Cardinals.The Reds took two of three, giving them only their fifth series win in the last 23 between the NL Central rivals. And it goes beyond the one series.For the first time since 1999, the Reds have won six straight series after the All-Star break. They traded RBI leader Jay Bruce to the Mets during the current surge.This is the time when some teams might phone it in, manager Bryan Price said. This group hasnt.Phillips had a single and a pair of doubles, scored three times and drove in a run against former teammate Mike Leake (8-9). Ramon Cabrera drove in three runs, and Eugenio Suarez knocked in a pair.Finnegan (7-8) allowed only a pair of singles, and then left after throwing 79 pitches on a humid, 88-degree afternoon. The bullpen gave up three more singles while closing out Cincinnatis fourth shutout, which is tied with Milwaukee and Pittsburgh for the fewest in the NL.I didnt have my best command, Finnegan said. They hit some balls hard, but we had some guys catch it. I had a lot of movement on the ball. (It) was a confidence boost, definitely.Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 0 for 4, ending a 17-game hitting streak that was the longest of his career.It was the second time that the Reds faced Leake since they traded him in the middle of last season as part of their rebuilding. On July 7 at Great American Ball Park, Leake allowed only one earned run in 7 1/3 innings of a 7-6 Reds victory that ended with Vottos homer in the bottom of the ninth.This time, he left the game after failing to retire a batter in the sixth, giving up eight hits and seven runs. After spending his first 5 1/2 seasons in Cincinnati, Leake suspects the Reds have an advantage because they know how he pitches.Im sure it plays a part, Leake said.Leake extended his streak without walking a batter to 35 innings, the longest in the majors this season. It ended when Adam Duvall walked on a full-count pitch to open the sixth. The club record is held by Bob Tewksbury, who went 44 innings without walking a batter in 1993. Duvall later scored on Phillips double, his third hit of the game.The Reds got a pair of runs in the second inning, all on hits to right field. Phillips singled, Scott Schebler doubled and Cabrera pulled a ball down the line for a two-run single. Phillips doubled again to right field in the fourth and scored on Suarezs sacrifice fly.STATSThe Reds won nine straight series after the All-Star break in 1999, when they lost a one-game playoff to the Mets for the NL wild card. ... The Cardinals got Brandon Moss and Jhonny Peralta back from the DL at the start of the series. Moss went 6 for 13 with two doubles and a homer in the series. Peralta was 2 for 10.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: Leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter is expected to come off the DL over the weekend. Hes missed 29 games with a strained right oblique. He went 4 for 12 during a rehab assignment with a homer and a double.Reds: SS Zack Cozart was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game with a bruised finger on his throwing hand. ... Schebler was hit on the right side of the knee in the sixth but stayed in the game. He left after the inning as part of a double switch.UP NEXTCardinals: St. Louis returns home and starts a three-game series against Atlanta. LHP Jaime Garcia (7-8) is 2-1 in seven career starts against the Braves with a 4.32 ERA.Reds: Anthony DeSclafani (6-0) opens a series in Pittsburgh. Hes 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts at PNC Park.---Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekayManny Trillo Jersey . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Leon Durham Jersey . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/custom-billy-williams-jersey-large-300n.html .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Custom Kosuke Fukudome Jersey . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Ernie Banks Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- To earn his first major league save, Enny Romero emerged from the bullpen with a one-run lead and one job -- set down Boston slugger David Ortiz for the final out.Romero did it, getting Big Papi to look at strike three Thursday to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 2-1 win over the Red Sox for a four-game split.In a one-run ballgame, I figured at some point we would see David Ortiz come to the plate, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.After Tyler Sturdevant struck out Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr. to begin the ninth, Romero was summoned. Romero sent Ortiz to the ground with a high-and-tight 1-2 fastball, then got him on a called third strike.Romero said he threw a cutter to close out the save. The 25-year-old lefty was in his 65th career game over three seasons.A day earlier, the 40-year-old Ortiz reached 30 home runs and 100 RBI. Ortiz was rested for the final day of an 11-game road trip that saw Boston go 7-4.The Red Sox, who began the day tied with Toronto for the AL East lead, lost the final two games of the series.There are times you look back, today being one of them, that you could have capitalized on situations and had a different outcome, Boston manager John Farrell said.Mikie Mahtook ended a stretch of 34 hitless at-bats with a go-ahead double in the seventh off Drew Pomeranz (10-10), who is 2/3 since being traded from San Diego to Boston.It was a relief, Mahtook said.Mookie Betts was thrown out by Mahtook from left field trying to stretch a single into a double in the eighth.Jake Odorizzi (9-5) improved to 6-0 in eiight starts since the All-Star break.dddddddddddd. He gave up one run and five hits in seven innings.Pomeranz struck out a career-high 11 in six-plus innings.After Betts put the Red Sox up 1-0 on a sacrifice fly in the sixth, Odorizzi avoided a big inning by getting an inning-ending double play from Bradley with the bases loaded.Outstanding damage control, Cash said.Tampa Bay tied it at 1 in the bottom of the sixth when Evan Longoria doubled and scored on Brad Millers single. Miller had 31 RBI since the All-Star break.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: LF Andrew Benintendi (left knee sprain) was put on the 15-day disabled list. Farrell is hopeful the rookie will return before the season ends. ... LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (left hamstring) felt fine after a bullpen session and will start Sunday against Kansas City. . RHP Clay Buchholz, who was moved out of the bullpen for three starts due to injuries, will return to a relief role.Rays: INF Tim Beckham (left hamstring tightness) sat out for the second consecutive game.HITLESS WONDERThe Rays record for most consecutive at-bats without a hit is 41, set by Luke Scott in 2012.UP NEXTRed Sox: Knuckleballer Steven Wright (13-5) will be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after missing 2 1/2 weeks with a strained right shoulder and start Friday night at home against Royals RHP Ian Kennedy (8-9).Rays: LHP Drew Smyly (6-11) will face Astros RHP Mike Fiers (9-6) at Houston on Friday night. ' ' '