LOUIS, ST. (AP) – Cincinnati defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 19-2 on Friday night, thanks to six home runs, including a three-run blast from Nick Martini in the first inning. This victory kept the Reds competitive in the National League wild-card race.
On September 29, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri, Elly De La Cruz #44 and Jonathan India #6 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrate their team’s 19-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Image courtesy of Joe Puetz/Getty Images
Tyler Stephenson, Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jonathan India, and Spencer Steer all hit home runs to help the Reds post their highest total since they scored 20 against the Chicago Cubs on May 26, 2022.
Cincinnati and the Cubs are still tied for the last NL wild card, 1 1/2 games behind Miami. The Cardinals’ current record of 69-91 is their worst since they were 70-92 in 1990.
After spending 18 seasons with the Cardinals, right-hander Adam Wainwright revealed on Tuesday that he was retiring. In the sixth inning, Wainwright pinch hit and grounded out to second base.
Carson Spiers pitched the final three innings for his first career save, while Brandon Williamson (5-5) gave up two runs on five hits in six innings to record his first victory since August 7.
In one and a third innings, Jake Woodford (2-3) gave up seven runs on six hits.
The lone run for St. Louis came from a two-run home run by Richie Palacios in the third inning.
Cincinnati was one home run away from tying the team’s single-game record of seven, which was last attained in 2021, when Marte and Encarnacion-Strand hit home runs off Casey Lawrence in the fourth and Stephenson later in the inning against Andrew Suárez.
The Reds led 6-0 as Will Benson scored on India’s home run in the second inning and brought in Elly De La Cruz with a triple down the right field line. Woodford was chased by Steer, who hit his team-high 23rd home run.
Cincinnati led 3-0 in the first after Martini’s home run into the bullpen in right-center field.
OFFENSIVE CAMEO
Wainwright took the mound with the Reds leading by twelve runs. He hadn’t appeared on a dish since October 6, 2021. Wainwright, who captured his 200th career game on September 18, was informed by Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol on Tuesday that he would not pitch the rest of the season but would instead be able to bat if he stayed on the active roster. In 743 career plate appearances, Wainwright is a.192 lifetime hitter with 10 home runs, and he was the 2017 Silver Slugger winner.
EARLY EXIT
After being ruled out on strikes to finish the ninth inning, Benson argued balls and strikes, prompting home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi to dismiss him from the game.
Before Friday’s game, the Reds elevated assistant general manager and vice president Brad Meador to senior vice president and general manager and vice president and general manager Nick Krall to president of baseball operations.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: Placed RHP Daniel Duarte (right shoulder tightness) on the 15-day injured list and recalled Spiers from Triple-A Louisville.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Connor Phillips (1-0, 5.66 ERA) will face Cardinals LHP Drew Rom (1-4, 7.98 ERA) in a duel of rookies on Saturday night.
Cubs move a step closer to playoff elimination, losing to Brewers in 10 innings
MILAN, WI (AP) – Thanks to Carlos Santana’s game-winning double in the 10th inning on Friday night, the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-3 and sent them to the verge of elimination from the postseason.
After losing its last four games, Chicago trailed Miami, which defeated Pittsburgh, by 1 1/2 games for the third and final wild-card place in the NL. The Cubs are behind the Marlins in the tiebreaker.
With a 78-67 record less than three weeks ago, Chicago appeared to be well on its way to securing a postseason berth; yet, the Cubs have since finished 4-11.
As Chicago rallied after falling behind 3-0 after seven innings, Ian Happ went deep in the ninth and Jeimer Candelario hit a home run in the eighth.
Still, the Cubs were unable to seal the deal.
On top of the 10th with the bases loaded, Wisconsin native Caleb Boushley (1-0) struck out Patrick Wisdom in his major league debut. Boushley gave Happ the tying home run in the ninth inning.
With a double off José Cuas (3-2) to start the bottom of the tenth, Santana drove home automatic runner Blake Perkins.
The 37-year-old Santana drove in two runs off Kyle Hendricks in the fifth inning with his first triple since 2019.
In order to get ready for the postseason, the Brewers were resting their starting pitchers. For that reason, Colin Rea was beginning rather than Brandon Woodruff, who is scheduled to start Wednesday’s Game 2 of Milwaukee’s wild-card series.
Rea gave the Brewers a 3-0 lead while pitching five scoreless innings. However, the Cubs outperformed the Milwaukee bullpen.
In the ninth, Candelario hit a home run, and Christopher Morel tripled and beat Clayton Andrews for a score. Having come into the game with a 43.20 ERA through three appearances, Andrews pitched a shutout seventh inning but struggled in his second inning. His current ERA is 27.00.
Happ’s 417-foot smash over the wall in right center leveled the score.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nico Hoerner fouled a ball off his left knee in the sixth inning and left the game an inning later. The Cubs said he had a bruise.
Cubs RHP Adbert Alzolay (forearm strain) was activated from the injured list. He hadn’t pitched since Sept. 9. The Cubs optioned RHP Keegan Thompson to their spring facility in Arizona.
UP NEXT
LHP Jordan Wicks (4-1, 3.00 ERA) pitches for the Cubs on Saturday. The Brewers hadn’t named a starter.