St. Louis starting pitcher Kwang Hyun Kim exited the game against the visiting Cincinnati Reds before the start of the fourth inning with what the Cardinals quickly announced was back tightness.
Kim, who began the night 1-3 with a 3.65 ERA through nine starts, threw one warm-up pitch before the top of the fourth before walking off. The left-hander missed the first few weeks of the season with back issues.
In three innings, Kim allowed three runs on two hits, home runs by Reds rookies Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India. Kim struck out three, hit a batter and walked none.
The 32-year-old Kim entered the night with a three-game losing streak. He is in his second season with the Cardinals following 12 years in his native South Korea.
In his two seasons with St. Louis, Kim is 4-3 with a 2.61 ERA 16 games, all but one of those appearances as a starter. In 2020, he went 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA in eight games, seven as a starter.
Also, Cincinnati first baseman Alex Blandino left in the top of the fifth inning after being hit by a pitch by the Cardinals’ second pitcher, right-hander Jake Woodford.
Blandino, one of several Reds players to see time at first base due to the injury to Joey Votto, was hit in the right wrist by a 2-2 pitch to lead off the fifth. He initially stayed in the game, but left later in the inning for pinch runner Mike Freeman.
Blandino, 28, is in his third season in the majors, all with Cincinnati. In 134 games total, entering Friday, he was hitting .227 with two home runs and 16 RBIs, and in 69 at-bats this season was hitting .203.