Oh can’t convert six-out save opportunity

CINCINNATI — After an incredible eighth-inning escape act that positioned the Cardinals to steal a seesaw affair, the man they call Stone Buddha showed a costly crack.

Attempting the first two-inning save of his Major League career, Seung Hwan Oh served up a 412-foot blast to Scott Schebler that ended an evening in which some bold bullpen maneuvering and double switching by manager Mike Matheny didn’t pay off. The 7-5 loss to the Reds on Tuesday was the Cardinals’ third this season when leading after eight innings.

“I believe as a bullpen that we’re better than what we showed tonight,” said its newest addition, Zach Duke. “We’ll be more consistent.”

Though Oh was stung with his second loss of the season, the bullpen teetered on the edge of disaster all night. It was put in a precarious spot, too, with Adam Wainwright’s short start. For the first time since June, Wainwright was unable to pitch beyond the fifth. A series of lengthy innings — he threw at least 23 pitches in three frames — left him with a pitch count of 101 after five.

“I connect those dots,” Wainwright said. “A starter’s job is to go as deep as you can. Five innings is not cutting it really. I …

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