Wainwright baffles Reds with 12 K's in Cincinnati loss
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CINCINNATI — Adam Wainwright tied his career mark for strikeouts in a game, and his St. Louis Cardinals teammates backed him up with clutch offense as the Cardinals defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0 Sunday night.
St. Louis took two-of-three this weekend at Great American Ball Park, including the Sunday night game in front of a sellout crowd.
In the outstanding outing from Wainwright (8-2), he pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing five hits with no walks.
Wainwright, who threw 82 of his 117 pitches for strikes, had the Reds baffled at the plate, tying his career mark of 12 strikeouts for the fifth time in his career.
Also for Wainwright (who lowered his ERA to 1.67), he extends his pitching scoreless streak to 20 innings, becoming the first NL pitcher this season to earn his eighth win on the year.
The loss went to Mike Leake, who pitched a season-low six innings. Leake allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks. He did strike out a season-high eight batters.
The Cardinals (28-22) were the first (and the only team) to score with a run in the top of the third. Tony Cruz began the inning with a base hit past third baseman Todd Frazier.
From there, Cruz took second on a sacrifice bunt by Wainwright and scored on a single to centerfield by Kolten Wong, as that was his second hit in his first two at-bats.
Cincinnati (22-26) had an opportunity to score a run in their half of the third with Zack Cozart gaining the Reds' first hit of the game, sending the ball to left field.
With two outs, Billy Hamilton drew a walk, but the inning and potential rally ended with a fielder's choice at second base.
In the fifth, the Reds built another opportunity to add a run but failed again.
The Reds began their half of the fifth with Brayan Pena singling to right field with one out, followed by a line drive single to centerfield by Cozart.
Both runners moved up a base following a sacrifice bunt from Leake. Both were left standing at their respective bases with Hamilton striking out looking to end the potential scoring rally.[[In-content Ad]]
Leake tried to work his way out of a jam by the Cardinals in the top of the sixth inning but couldn't leave the inning unscathed.
St. Louis opened up the sixth with a base hit to left field from Matt Adams, and Allen Craig followed by forcing a walk. Leake came back to record consecutive strikeouts, but he was unable to get the elusive third straight out.
With two outs, Cruz gained his second hit of the game with an RBI-single to centerfield, scoring Adams, making it a 2-0 score.
Leake (2.92 ERA) didn't return to pitch in the game once the sixth was complete. The Reds' starter earned three of his eight strikeouts in the one-run sixth.
As for the Cardinals, they continued to pressure the Reds in the seventh, with Matt Carpenter doubling to lead off the inning. Wong followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Carpenter to third.
Carpenter scored on a bunt base hit placed near home plate by Matt Holliday, as Carpenter raced home, scoring, while catcher Devin Mesoraco made a high and errant throw to first base. The ball eventually found a home in the stands, and Holliday was standing at second base with one out.
Holliday then had to battle to stay alive on the bases.
The Cardinals' left fielder, Holliday, outsmarted the Reds by stalling on the bases (during a run-down) just enough for them to make a mistake (and allowing Matt Adams to reach first on a fielder's choice), with pitcher Manny Parra tossing the ball to Cozart, who dropped the ball at second base, allowing Holliday to stay safe.
The error by Cozart returned to haunt the Reds, with Allen Craig sending the ball to centerfield for an RBI single, scoring Holliday, putting the Cardinals ahead 4-0.
Cincinnati had another opportunity in the bottom of the seventh where they began the inning by putting pressure on Wainwright but again were unable to score any runs.
Mesoraco and Ryan Ludwick opened the inning with base hits to left field and centerfield, but that was followed with three consecutive outs, including a strikeout by pinch hitter Skip Schumaker to end the inning.
The Reds ended the game with six hits, leaving seven stranded on the bases. St. Louis stranded 11 runners.
St. Louis took two-of-three this weekend at Great American Ball Park, including the Sunday night game in front of a sellout crowd.
In the outstanding outing from Wainwright (8-2), he pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing five hits with no walks.
Wainwright, who threw 82 of his 117 pitches for strikes, had the Reds baffled at the plate, tying his career mark of 12 strikeouts for the fifth time in his career.
Also for Wainwright (who lowered his ERA to 1.67), he extends his pitching scoreless streak to 20 innings, becoming the first NL pitcher this season to earn his eighth win on the year.
The loss went to Mike Leake, who pitched a season-low six innings. Leake allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks. He did strike out a season-high eight batters.
The Cardinals (28-22) were the first (and the only team) to score with a run in the top of the third. Tony Cruz began the inning with a base hit past third baseman Todd Frazier.
From there, Cruz took second on a sacrifice bunt by Wainwright and scored on a single to centerfield by Kolten Wong, as that was his second hit in his first two at-bats.
Cincinnati (22-26) had an opportunity to score a run in their half of the third with Zack Cozart gaining the Reds' first hit of the game, sending the ball to left field.
With two outs, Billy Hamilton drew a walk, but the inning and potential rally ended with a fielder's choice at second base.
In the fifth, the Reds built another opportunity to add a run but failed again.
The Reds began their half of the fifth with Brayan Pena singling to right field with one out, followed by a line drive single to centerfield by Cozart.
Both runners moved up a base following a sacrifice bunt from Leake. Both were left standing at their respective bases with Hamilton striking out looking to end the potential scoring rally.[[In-content Ad]]
Leake tried to work his way out of a jam by the Cardinals in the top of the sixth inning but couldn't leave the inning unscathed.
St. Louis opened up the sixth with a base hit to left field from Matt Adams, and Allen Craig followed by forcing a walk. Leake came back to record consecutive strikeouts, but he was unable to get the elusive third straight out.
With two outs, Cruz gained his second hit of the game with an RBI-single to centerfield, scoring Adams, making it a 2-0 score.
Leake (2.92 ERA) didn't return to pitch in the game once the sixth was complete. The Reds' starter earned three of his eight strikeouts in the one-run sixth.
As for the Cardinals, they continued to pressure the Reds in the seventh, with Matt Carpenter doubling to lead off the inning. Wong followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Carpenter to third.
Carpenter scored on a bunt base hit placed near home plate by Matt Holliday, as Carpenter raced home, scoring, while catcher Devin Mesoraco made a high and errant throw to first base. The ball eventually found a home in the stands, and Holliday was standing at second base with one out.
Holliday then had to battle to stay alive on the bases.
The Cardinals' left fielder, Holliday, outsmarted the Reds by stalling on the bases (during a run-down) just enough for them to make a mistake (and allowing Matt Adams to reach first on a fielder's choice), with pitcher Manny Parra tossing the ball to Cozart, who dropped the ball at second base, allowing Holliday to stay safe.
The error by Cozart returned to haunt the Reds, with Allen Craig sending the ball to centerfield for an RBI single, scoring Holliday, putting the Cardinals ahead 4-0.
Cincinnati had another opportunity in the bottom of the seventh where they began the inning by putting pressure on Wainwright but again were unable to score any runs.
Mesoraco and Ryan Ludwick opened the inning with base hits to left field and centerfield, but that was followed with three consecutive outs, including a strikeout by pinch hitter Skip Schumaker to end the inning.
The Reds ended the game with six hits, leaving seven stranded on the bases. St. Louis stranded 11 runners.