Cardinals 9, Reds 2
CINCINNATI -- Right-hander Adam Wainwright pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs, and Pete Kozma went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI in lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game weekend series.
The Cardinals, who improved to a major-league best 21-9 on the road, now lead the NL Central by four games over both the Reds and Pirates.
First baseman Allen Craig had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, and third baseman David Freese has a 17-game streak after going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI for St. Louis.
Kozma's two-run double highlighted a four-run sixth inning that broke the game open for the Cardinals.
Matt Carpenter extended his hitting streak to 16 games with an RBI single in the sixth, putting St. Louis ahead 7-0.
It was more than enough run support for Wainwright (9-3), who walked one and fanned seven. He allowed just one hit through the first five innings.
Reds starter Mike Leake (5-3) lost for the first time since May 8.
Jay Bruce's RBI single in the sixth drove home Zack Cozart with the Reds' first run. Shin-Soo Choo added an RBI single in the seventh to cap the scoring for Cincinnati.
Catcher Devin Mesoraco had two of the Reds' seven hits, including a double.
The Cardinals scored three times off Leake in the fourth.
Carlos Beltran led off the inning with a single to extend his hitting streak to eight games, then scored the first run on Freese's single to left. Jon Jay and Kozma had RBI singles to put St. Louis ahead 3-0.
The Cardinals had several lengthy at-bats against Leake, including a 12-pitch at-bat in the fourth by Craig. Leake allowed three runs on six hits, needing 97 pitches to get through his five innings.
Wainwright had six strikeouts through four innings, including three in the second. He allowed just one hit through five.
NOTES: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips returned to the starting lineup Friday after he missed four games with a bruised left forearm after being hit by a pitch on June 2 in Pittsburgh. ... The Reds optioned RHP Pedro Villarreal to Triple-A Louisville on Friday and recalled INF Henry Rodriguez. Villarreal made an emergency start on Wednesday when RHP Johnny Cueto was placed on the DL. ... The Cardinals announced that Jeanine Duncan, wife of longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan, passed away Thursday evening after a long bout with brain cancer. ... Freese's single in the fourth inning extended his hitting streak to a career-long 17 games.
