Cardinals use long ball to beat Reds
CINCINNATI -- Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler and Paul DeJong homered, and rookie right-hander Luke Weaver allowed two runs through five innings, lifting the St Louis Cardinals to a 9-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.
Tommy Pham went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs for the Cardinals (79-72), who trail the first-place Chicago Cubs by five games in the National League Central standings. St. Louis is 2 1/2 games behind the Colorado Rockies for the second NL wild-card spot.
Weaver (7-1) struck out seven and did not walk a batter to extend his major-league-leading win streak to seven games. It is also the longest streak by a Cardinals pitcher this season. He had been tied with Adam Wainwright. Weaver has struck out seven or more batters in each of his past seven starts.
Yadier Molina and Fowler each had two RBIs to help hand Cincinnati (66-86) its second straight loss to begin the series.
Four Cardinals relievers combined to retire 12 of the final 13 Reds batters to finish off the win.
Reds starter Rookie Davis (1-3) lasted only three innings, allowing five runs on five hits.
In the first inning, Carpenter launched a 3-2 pitch from Davis into the right field seats for his 21st home run of the season. It was his 14th career leadoff homer, second this season.
In the third, Pham doubled in a run and Fowler followed with his career-high 18th home run, making the score 4-0. Fowler has homered in three straight games.
DeJong's 24th home run immediately followed Fowler's.
Molina's bases-loaded double off Keury Mella, who was making his major league debut, made the score 7-0 in the fifth.
Cincinnati broke up the shutout with two runs in the fifth on Patrick Kivlehan's RBI double and an RBI hit by Jesse Winker, making it 7-2.
NOTES: The Cardinals recalled INF Aledmys Diaz and RHP Josh Lucas from Triple-A Memphis. ... Reds CF Billy Hamilton was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list. He has been sidelined since Sept. 7 with a fractured left thumb. He likely will be used initially as a pinch runner. ... Cardinals RHP Jack Flaherty will move to the bullpen and RHP John Gant will join the rotation, manager Mike Matheny announced prior to the game. ... Cincinnati pitchers have allowed four leadoff homers this season. ... Reds C Chad Wallach singled as a pinch hitter in the ninth for his first career hit.