Cards beat Reds in extras behind Carpenter home run
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Carpenter's two-run home run off Kevin Gregg in the 11th inning lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
Gregg (0-1) was in his second inning of work after the Reds squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the 10th. Kolten Wong led off the 11th with a single, and he was running on the full-count pitch Carpenter hit into the seats.
Carpenter drove in four runs, and Jhonny Peralta's two-run homer in the eighth tied the game at five.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Carlos Martinez was sharp in his first start of the season, allowing a pair of solo home runs in six innings with eight strikeouts. Carlos Villanueva (1-0) pitched the final two innings as the last man out of the Cardinals' bullpen.
Jay Bruce opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second, and Billy Hamilton hit his first later in the game.
Making his major league debut, Raisel Iglesias started strong as Cincinnati's starter but finished having allowed three runs on five hits and two walks in five innings with four strikeouts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Iglesias, the Cuban defector signed by Cincinnati last June, retired the first seven batters he faced. He started struggling his second time through the lineup, and he lost a 1-0 lead in the fifth facing Carpenter and Jason Heyward for the third time. Carpenter singled home a pair of runs, and Heyward followed with a double to score Carpenter.
Martinez failed to record a shutdown inning. After retiring Zack Cozart and pinch hitter Skip Schumaker, Hamilton hit a line-drive home run to center field to pull the Reds within one.
As soon as Martinez was lifted from the game, Cincinnati stormed ahead. Seth Maness left the game with two runners in scoring position and two outs, but Randy Choate walked Joey Votto, the only man he faced. Matt Belisle replaced Choate and allowed back-to-back singles to Todd Frazier and Brandon Phillips that plated three runs to put the Reds in front, 5-3.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jumbo Diaz was called on to preserve the lead and get the game to Aroldis Chapman, but after Matt Holliday led off with a single, Peralta hit his first home run to even the score. The Cardinals had two runners in scoring position with one out later in the inning, but Diaz got Wong and pinch hitter Matt Adams to pop out.
In the game's final four innings, Cincinnati had at least two runners reach base but could not capitalize and retake the lead. After Carpenter's go- ahead home run in the top half of the 11th, Cozart grounded out with two runners on base to end the game.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Reds signed Iglesias to a seven-year, $27 million contract ...He is the eighth player in Reds history to make his major league debut without playing in a minor league game ... The Reds stranded 15 runners on base and batted 2- for-18 with runners in scoring position ... St. Louis has won 13 straight three-game series against the Reds ... Cincinnati starter Homer Bailey allowed four runs -- three earned -- in 5 2/3 innings in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Louisville.