The National Leagues best offense, aided by the Cardinals sluggish defense hung eight runs, seven earned on Carpenter, who won his last 10 decisions against Cincinnati. The last time the Reds beat him was in 2006.
Travis Wood spotted the visitors two runs in the second inning. Lance Berkman hit his 11th home run of the season and 50th career home run against Reds pitching. Yadier Molina followed with a home run in response to boos that he's endured all weekend.
The Reds started in the bottom of the third inning. Ramon Hernandez extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his third home run in two games.
Cincinnati's offense continued as Wood caused the St. Louis offense to stagnate.
Jay Bruce singled with one out. Scott Rolen singled to center. As Bruce sprinted to third, Jon Jay's throw hit Bruce and bounded out of play. Rolen was awarded third and scored on a ground out to secondbase.
The Reds scored again on a rare error by Albert Pujols and a rare triple by Rolen.
The Reds knocked Carpenter out in the seventh.
Former Cardinal Miguel Cairo hit for Big Logan Ondrusek and walked. Drew Stubbs was awarded a single on a ground ball on which secondbaseman Nick Greene imitated the Ernie Lombardi statue outside Great American Ball Park to put runners on first and second. Paul Janish laid down a two-strike sacrifice bunt. Pinch manager, Joe Pettini, ordered MVP Joey Votto walked intentionally, bringing the man whose picture is displayed in every post office in St. Louis, Brandon Phillips. Phillips launched a fly deep to right over the head of Lance Berkman that landed 15 feet short of the warning track, scoring two runs. Carpenter was sent to the showers. Jay Bruce greeted Trever Miller with a line drive two-run double.
The Reds took an 8-2 lead into the eighth inning.
"It seemed like the same Carpenter to me," Dusty Baker said. "Nobody can keep beating you all the time. It was just our turn. They had a couple defensive plays that helped us out."
"It's just weird, Carpenter said.. "I feel good. My command was good. The ball was moving well and going where I wanted but it wasn't good enough."
As for the defense behind him, "It was a crappy day. Balls were taking funny hops."
"Carpenter is a competitor," Stubbs said. "Even when he doesn't have his best stuff. I'm not saying that's the case but it's huge for us to beat them when he pitches. The same as the game in St. Louis."
The Reds won the game that Carpenter pitched in St. Louis but was not charged with a loss.
Chris Heisey went in for defense to start the ninth inning. He hit what appeared to be a meaningless home run off Mitchel Boggs but his fifth home run turned out to be meaningful.
Jose Arredondo had a routine 1-2-3 eighth inning.
It was a perfect opportunity to get Aroldis Chapman into the game with a 9-2 lead and the bottom of the order due up. Chapman had sessions with the pitching coach, Bryan Price, to help him control his pitches. Chapman's troubles continued. He walked four batters with a fly out to deep center in between.
Nick Masset had to loosen up in a hurry. Ryan Theriot doubled and the game began to get tense. The score was now 9-5 with the top the order coming up. Nick Punto was first but behind him was Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman. Holliday is hitting nearly .400 and Pujols has the second most home runs against the Reds, next to Berkman.
Masset fell behind Punto and double home the two runners to make the score 9-7 with Pujols being the tying run.
Baker had to call in his closer, Francisco Cordero.
Cordero got two quick strikes on Pujols, then hit him on the left wrist.
Tempers and tension ran high.
Cordero rose to the occasion. He induced a hard ground ball to short that appeared like a game ending double play. Pujols slid into Phillips hard and the throw was low. Votto couldn't come up with it.
Now Berkman had a chance to tie the game or win it for St. Louis.
Cordero struck Berkman out swinging
"Cordero is tough on me. I think I'm 0-for-15 against him. He made good pitches," Berkman said.
Cordero went to celebrate but ended up pointing to someone yelling from the St. Louis dugout before the Reds enjoyed a 9-7 win that put them 1 1/2 games ahead of its arch rivals.
Former Cardinal Miguel Cairo hit for Big Logan Ondrusek and walked. Drew Stubbs was awarded a single on a ball that secondbaseman Nick Greene imitated the Ernie Lombardi statue outside Great American Ball Park to put runners on first and second. Paul Janish laid down a two-strike sacrifice bunt. Pinch manager, Joe Pettini, order MVP Joey Votto walked intentionally, bringing the man whose picture is up in every post office in St. Louis, Brandon Phillips. Phillips launched a fly deep to right over the head of Lance Berkman that landed 15 feet short of the warning track, scoring two runs. Carpenter was sent to the showers. Jay Bruce greeted Trever Miller with a line drive two-run double.
The Reds take an 8-2 lead into the eighth inning.
Former Cardinal Miguel Cairo hit for Big Logan Ondrusek and walked. Drew Stubbs was awarded a single on a ball that secondbaseman Nick Greene imitated the Ernie Lombardi statue outside Great American Ball Park to put runners on first and second. Paul Janish laid down a two-strike sacrifice bunt. Pinch manager, Joe Pettini, order MVP Joey Votto walked intentionally, bringing the man whose picture is up in every post office in St. Louis, Brandon Phillips. Phillips launched a fly deep to right over the head of Lance Berkman that landed 15 feet short of the warning track, scoring two runs. Carpenter was sent to the showers. Jay Bruce greeted Trever Miller with a line drive two-run double.
The Reds take an 8-2 lead into the eighth inning.
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