Cardinals 4, Reds 3 (13 innings)
CINCINNATI -- Randal Grichuk's solo home run in the top of the 13th inning lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to a come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.
Third baseman Matt Carpenter hit a game-tying solo homer in the eighth for St. Louis, which ended a three-game losing streak against the Reds.
Grichuk ended a long night for both teams when he launched a 1-0 pitch from right-hander Dylan Axelrod (0-1) into the left field seats. It was the center fielder's 13th homer this season.
Seth Maness (4-1) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory.
Cincinnati led 3-0 through five innings and appeared poised to clinch consecutive series victories against St. Louis for the first time since 2011. The Reds (48-57) will have another chance Thursday in the finale of the three-game series.
The Cardinals (68-39) didn't threaten against Reds starter David Holmberg until the sixth, when the first two batters reached via a walk and a hit batsman.
Grichuk started the rally with a double off the top of the left-center-field wall to drive home a run, cutting the Reds' lead to 3-1.
Following a four-minute, one-second review by crew chief Ted Barrett, it was confirmed to be a double after Cardinals manager Mike Matheny argued that the ball might have cleared the fence.
After only allowing two hits and two earned runs in five-plus innings, Holmberg was done for the night.
Left-hander Manny Parra entered and allowed a two-out RBI single by shortstop Jhonny Peralta to make the score 3-2, but he induced an inning-ending double play grounder from catcher Yadier Molina.
For the second straight night, Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton preserved a one-run lead with a diving catch, this time of second baseman Kolten Wong's sinking liner to end the seventh.
However, Carpenter's solo homer on a 2-2 pitch from J.J. Hoover in the eighth tied the score 3-3.
The game-tying blast took Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez off hook after he allowed three runs (one earned) in five innings.
Martinez pitched out of jams in the first two innings but wasn't as fortunate in the third.
With the bases loaded and two outs, catcher Brayan Pena laced a double down the left field line, driving in two runs to make the score 2-0. It was Pena's second straight double, giving him 11 for the season.
Reds third baseman Todd Frazier drove in a run with a bases-loaded grounder in the fourth, making the score 3-0.
For the second consecutive game, Martinez had a rough time. He allowed five earned runs and 10 hits in five innings last week against Colorado.
NOTES: Reds LHP Sean Marshall threw a 22-pitch bullpen session composed mostly of fastballs. It was his first appearance on the mound since June 10, 2014, after he tore his left shoulder labrum. He will travel with the team through his rehab. ... Cardinals CF Randal Grichuk, who had two hits for the second game in a row, was moved up to second in the batting order. He came in batting .385 in his past seven games. ... Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman made his 24th consecutive scoreless appearance against the Cardinals, striking out three in the ninth inning. St. Louis hasn't scored against Chapman since 2011.