Cardinals at Reds
Cincinnati utility man Scooter Gennett attempts to follow up the top game of his five-year career when the Reds host the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday in the third contest of a four-game set. Gennett went 5-for-5 with four homers and 10 RBIs in Tuesday's 13-1 trouncing of the Cardinals after entering the game with three home runs this season.
The 27-year-old Gennett had 38 career homers before his epic outing in which he became the 17th player in major-league history to slug four in a game. Gennett is the first Reds' player to hit four in a game and his 10 RBIs matched the franchise mark set by Walker Cooper in 1949. "Anytime I hit a home run, I consider myself lucky but it's hard to get lucky four times in a row," Gennett said in a postgame interview. "... I never thought I would hit four home runs in a game ever. I'm blessed." St. Louis has lost a season-worst five straight contests to start a seven-game road trip and has dropped 10 of its past 13 overall.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (4-3, 2.97 ERA) vs. Reds RH Bronson Arroyo (3-4, 6.24)
Lynn is winless over his past five starts - including two defeats - and has pitched six or fewer innings in four of the outings. The 30-year-old is 9-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 18 career appearances (15 starts) against the Reds, including a victory on April 28 when he gave up one run and six hits over six innings. Gennett is 8-for-23 with no homers against Lynn, who has also struggled with Joey Votto (11-for-25, seven walks).
Arroyo is also 0-2 in his last five turns and has given up five or more runs in each of his losses during the stretch. The 40-year-old is 3-2 in six home starts despite a 5.35 ERA and has served up 10 homers in 33 2/3 innings - and has allowed the most in the majors (19). Arroyo is 8-18 with a 4.91 ERA in 41 career appearances (39 starts) versus the Cardinals and has enjoyed success against Yadier Molina (12-for-59) and Dexter Fowler (4-for-21).
WALK-OFFS
1. Gennett joins Mark Whiten (1993 for the Cardinals versus the Reds) as the only players to hit a grand slam as part of a four-homer performance.
2. St. Louis 1B Matt Carpenter is 4-for-35 over his past nine games and doesn't have an RBI in his last 14 appearances.
3. Cincinnati SS Zack Cozart, who is second in the majors with a .353 average, is 7-for-11 over the past three games.