Scooter Gennett dominated with a franchise-best four home runs at the plate for the Reds, while Tim Adleman worked smoothly from the mound. Put the two performances together, and a few other key contributions, and Cincinnati buried the Cardinals with a 13-1 victory on Tuesday at Great American Ball Park.
Gennett blooped an RBI single to shallow left field in the first, but his night really took off when he slugged a grand slam to right-center field against Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright in the third inning. During a five-run fourth, Eugenio Suarez ripped a bases-loaded triple past a diving Dexter Fowler, and Gennett followed with a two-run homer to center field against reliever John Gant. Gennett’s third homer, also against Gant, traveled to the left-field corner and made it an 11-0 game. In the eighth inning, Gennett jumped on a 0-2 pitch from John Brebbia for his historic fourth homer.
“Feels pretty cool,” Gennett said. “That’s something I never thought I would do. Even three home runs would be too crazy for me. Obviously, it was a good night.”
The first Red to ever accomplish the four-homer feat, Gennett’s 10 RBIs tied the team record Walker Cooper set on July 6, 1949. It also marked the first time in Cardinals history that they have been on the wrong end of a four-homer game.
“‘Sounds like I’m not going to use that ball again,'” Brebbia said of his reaction to Gennett’s final swing. “And when I looked at it, that was the confirmation. I thought it was the right pitch. And then it came out of my hand, and it went belly-button high or so. That’s not the spot I wanted it.”
On the heels of ending a 0-for-19 slump with the game-winning two-run double on Monday, Gennett is 6-for-6 since.
“You guys weren’t all here when I was 0-for-19,” Gennett joked. “It’s good to see you guys again.”
Wainwright was tagged with nine earned runs and seven hits over 3 2/3 innings with three walks and two strikeouts. It was the most runs he has allowed in a start since Aug. 28, 2013, also against Cincinnati. Wainwright entered the night having allowed one run in his last 26 1/3 innings.
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