Cards crush Reds in extras
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CINCINNATI — For nine innings, the Cincinnati Reds played even on the scoreboard with the St. Louis Cardinals. In the 10th inning, not so much, with the Cardinals plating seven runs in the extra inning, taking the game and the three-game series with their NL Central rival by an 11-4 score.
The win by the Cardinals at Great American Ball Park puts them four games ahead of the second-place Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, who have identical 37-26 marks on the season. The Cardinals, who now have won five straight series vs. Cincinnati, are 41-22 overall.
Currently, the NL Central is a three-team race with the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers each sitting 14.5 games out of the lead in the division at 25-37.
In the aforementioned seven-run 10th inning Sunday night by the visiting Cardinals, the combination of J.J. Hoover and 26-year-old Curtis Partch, who made his MLB debut, allowed all seven runs in the inning.
The Cardinals are now 1-4 in extra-inning games, with the Reds falling to 3-6 in extras this season.
Hoover (0-5) pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing six earned runs on four hits and two walks. Hoover exited the game leaving the bases loaded (with two outs), when Partch entered the game to face Matt Holliday.
On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Holliday sent the ball 464 feet over the left field wall for his fifth career grand slam, putting the Cardinals ahead 11-4, all but sealing the victory.
Before the disastrous 10th, the Reds and the Cardinals were even at 4-4 following the conclusion of the ninth.
The Reds scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth, where they led 4-2.
St. Louis scored two runs in the fourth and tied the score in the top of the seventh with another two-run inning. The Cardinals finished the game with 14 hits and one error, while Cincinnati had six hits.
Cincinnati led by two runs after the first inning with lead-off hitter Shin-Soo Choo hitting a double for the first hit of the game. Derrick Robinson moved Choo to second with a sacrifice bunt. Joey Votto followed with a walk.
[[In-content Ad]]Choo, who has reached base safely in 12 of the last 14 games, scored the first run on a single by Brandon Phillips to right field for the 1-0 advantage. Jay Bruce made it the two-run lead with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Bruce finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. His RBIs Sunday give him 43 on the season.
The Cardinals tied the score in the fourth, starting with a solo home run by Carlos Beltran on the first pitch of the at-bat. Holliday followed with a double to left field, later scoring on a one-out double by Yadier Molina.
Cincinnati was able to regain the lead by two runs in the fifth off a two-out, two-RBI double hit to right field by Bruce, allowing Choo and Robinson to score. Choo initially arrived to first on a base hit to right field and Robinson was hit by a pitch.
The score was tied at four runs apiece with Jon Jay and pinch runner Shane Robinson rounding the bases off a single by Matt Carpenter and a sacrifice fly by Beltran in the seventh inning. Carpenter has an 18-game hitting streak.
Carpenter ended the game with three RBIs, while Beltran had two RBIs, two hits and two runs.
Holliday led St. Louis, finishing 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs.
In the 10th, St. Louis sent 10 batters to the plate with Daniel Descalso doubling to left field with one out to put the Cardinals ahead 5-4, scoring Allen Craig (who walked to lead off the inning).
From there, a combination of free passes and extra base hits led to six more runs, causing most of the 38,023 fans in attendance to head for the exits.
The winning pitcher was Trevor Rosenthal (1-0), who pitched two innings of relief. He allowed no hits and walked none, striking out four. This was his first career win.
Lance Lynn was the starter for St. Louis, pitching six innings. He allowed four earned runs on five hits and three walks, striking out six. He threw 98 pitches in the no-decision.
For the Reds, Bronson Arroyo was the starter, also pitching six innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits and one walk, giving the Reds his ninth consecutive quality start on 84 pitches.
Arroyo struck out four, with strikeouts to three of the first four batters he faced. He retired the first seven batters of the game.
The tying runs in the seventh were allowed by Sam LeCure, who didn't record a single out in his appearance. LeCure faced three batters, allowing two runs on three hits and no walks.
Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless eighth, and Aroldis Chapman was perfect in the ninth, with two strikeouts.
Broxton has not allowed an earned run in his last three appearances. Chapman has 48 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched in '13. The strikeout of Carpenter, for the first out of the ninth, came via a 100-mph pitch.
The Reds travel to Chicago Monday, starting a four-game set with the Cubs. Monday and Tuesday's games are scheduled for 8:05 p.m. starts. The Wednesday and Thursday games are scheduled for 2:20 p.m. starts. They return home on Friday to host the Brewers at 7:05 p.m.
Homer Bailey is scheduled to start for the Reds on Monday at Wrigley Field. Bailey (3-4. 3.84 ERA) will oppose Scott Feldman (5-4, 2.84 ERA).
Game Notes: The Cardinals gained a 2-5-4 double play to end the first inning … Robinson made a leaping catch to end the top of the fifth near the left field wall … St. Louis also converted a 6-4-3 double play to end the seventh … David Freese extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a single in the 10th … St. Louis collected five doubles, resulting in four RBIs … The Reds were retired in order in the 10th, with two strikeouts from Kevin Siegrist … Alfredo Simon pitched one inning for the Reds, allowing one hit and walking one … The Cardinals are now 1-4 in extra-inning games … The Reds left six runners on base.
The win by the Cardinals at Great American Ball Park puts them four games ahead of the second-place Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, who have identical 37-26 marks on the season. The Cardinals, who now have won five straight series vs. Cincinnati, are 41-22 overall.
Currently, the NL Central is a three-team race with the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers each sitting 14.5 games out of the lead in the division at 25-37.
In the aforementioned seven-run 10th inning Sunday night by the visiting Cardinals, the combination of J.J. Hoover and 26-year-old Curtis Partch, who made his MLB debut, allowed all seven runs in the inning.
The Cardinals are now 1-4 in extra-inning games, with the Reds falling to 3-6 in extras this season.
Hoover (0-5) pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing six earned runs on four hits and two walks. Hoover exited the game leaving the bases loaded (with two outs), when Partch entered the game to face Matt Holliday.
On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Holliday sent the ball 464 feet over the left field wall for his fifth career grand slam, putting the Cardinals ahead 11-4, all but sealing the victory.
Before the disastrous 10th, the Reds and the Cardinals were even at 4-4 following the conclusion of the ninth.
The Reds scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth, where they led 4-2.
St. Louis scored two runs in the fourth and tied the score in the top of the seventh with another two-run inning. The Cardinals finished the game with 14 hits and one error, while Cincinnati had six hits.
Cincinnati led by two runs after the first inning with lead-off hitter Shin-Soo Choo hitting a double for the first hit of the game. Derrick Robinson moved Choo to second with a sacrifice bunt. Joey Votto followed with a walk.
[[In-content Ad]]Choo, who has reached base safely in 12 of the last 14 games, scored the first run on a single by Brandon Phillips to right field for the 1-0 advantage. Jay Bruce made it the two-run lead with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Bruce finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. His RBIs Sunday give him 43 on the season.
The Cardinals tied the score in the fourth, starting with a solo home run by Carlos Beltran on the first pitch of the at-bat. Holliday followed with a double to left field, later scoring on a one-out double by Yadier Molina.
Cincinnati was able to regain the lead by two runs in the fifth off a two-out, two-RBI double hit to right field by Bruce, allowing Choo and Robinson to score. Choo initially arrived to first on a base hit to right field and Robinson was hit by a pitch.
The score was tied at four runs apiece with Jon Jay and pinch runner Shane Robinson rounding the bases off a single by Matt Carpenter and a sacrifice fly by Beltran in the seventh inning. Carpenter has an 18-game hitting streak.
Carpenter ended the game with three RBIs, while Beltran had two RBIs, two hits and two runs.
Holliday led St. Louis, finishing 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs.
In the 10th, St. Louis sent 10 batters to the plate with Daniel Descalso doubling to left field with one out to put the Cardinals ahead 5-4, scoring Allen Craig (who walked to lead off the inning).
From there, a combination of free passes and extra base hits led to six more runs, causing most of the 38,023 fans in attendance to head for the exits.
The winning pitcher was Trevor Rosenthal (1-0), who pitched two innings of relief. He allowed no hits and walked none, striking out four. This was his first career win.
Lance Lynn was the starter for St. Louis, pitching six innings. He allowed four earned runs on five hits and three walks, striking out six. He threw 98 pitches in the no-decision.
For the Reds, Bronson Arroyo was the starter, also pitching six innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits and one walk, giving the Reds his ninth consecutive quality start on 84 pitches.
Arroyo struck out four, with strikeouts to three of the first four batters he faced. He retired the first seven batters of the game.
The tying runs in the seventh were allowed by Sam LeCure, who didn't record a single out in his appearance. LeCure faced three batters, allowing two runs on three hits and no walks.
Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless eighth, and Aroldis Chapman was perfect in the ninth, with two strikeouts.
Broxton has not allowed an earned run in his last three appearances. Chapman has 48 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched in '13. The strikeout of Carpenter, for the first out of the ninth, came via a 100-mph pitch.
The Reds travel to Chicago Monday, starting a four-game set with the Cubs. Monday and Tuesday's games are scheduled for 8:05 p.m. starts. The Wednesday and Thursday games are scheduled for 2:20 p.m. starts. They return home on Friday to host the Brewers at 7:05 p.m.
Homer Bailey is scheduled to start for the Reds on Monday at Wrigley Field. Bailey (3-4. 3.84 ERA) will oppose Scott Feldman (5-4, 2.84 ERA).
Game Notes: The Cardinals gained a 2-5-4 double play to end the first inning … Robinson made a leaping catch to end the top of the fifth near the left field wall … St. Louis also converted a 6-4-3 double play to end the seventh … David Freese extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a single in the 10th … St. Louis collected five doubles, resulting in four RBIs … The Reds were retired in order in the 10th, with two strikeouts from Kevin Siegrist … Alfredo Simon pitched one inning for the Reds, allowing one hit and walking one … The Cardinals are now 1-4 in extra-inning games … The Reds left six runners on base.