Chris Carpenter and the St. Louis' Bullpen dominates the Reds in 4-2 win
Matt Holliday hit home run no. 25 of the year in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-2 lead. Starting pitcher Chris Carpenter and the bullpen combined to hold the Cincinnati Reds to only one hit over the last three innings and the Cardinals got a much-needed win over their division rivals.
If the Cardinals could handle other teams as well as they handle the Reds then they might not be fighting for a play-off spot right now. The Cardinals are 12-6 against the Reds this season. Against the rest of the NL Central they are only 20-24.
St. Louis has been getting cold at the worst time of the year while the Reds have been heating up. Prior to their win over the Reds on Friday they had lost eight of their last nine to spot the Reds a comfortable lead in the division. With 28 games to go and a seven-game deficit, the Cardinals cannot afford to lose much more.
“We’ve got to win games, no matter who we’re playing,” Carpenter said.
The Reds took a chance in the sixth inning with a slim 2-1 lead. Instead of pitching to Albert Pujols, Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey walked him thinking he had a better chance against Matt Holliday. Holliday made him pay by hitting the game-winning home run.
“…It’s just kind of picking your poison,” Bailey said. “They’re both hitting over .300, they both have 25-30 home runs. What can you do?”
Chris Carpenter looked sharp pitching one out into the eighth inning before handing the game over to the bullpen. Carpenter struck out a season high 11 on the day while only giving up six hits and two earned runs to earn win no. 15. Ryan Franklin pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the win and get save no. 24 in 26 chances.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 71-63 on the season. After taking two of three against the Reds they sit seven games behind the Reds in the NL Central division and five and a half games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League wild card.
St. Louis starts a seven-game road trip on Monday in Milwaukee against the Brewers. Scheduled to start for the Cardinals in the first game of a three-game series with the Brewers is Jake Westbrook; Yovani Gallardo is set to take the mound for the Brewers.
The Cardinals have split the season series with the Brewers, 6-6, but have won nine of 12 games in Milwaukee since 2009.
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