(TSX / STATS) — CINCINNATI — Scooter Gennett is familiar with Cincinnati Reds history.
He was born in Cincinnati. He grew up a Reds fan, watching many of the greatest players to don the uniform of the first professional baseball franchise.
On Tuesday night, he did something no Reds player had ever done, something only 16 players accomplished previously in major league baseball history.
After hitting four home runs, including his second career grand slam, in Cincinnati’s 13-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park, the 27-year-old utility player stood at his locker and tried to put an historic night in perspective.
“It’s surreal, man, it really is,” said Gennett, who went 5-for-5 and tied a franchise record with 10 RBIs. “I’m truly blessed. Being from here, born here, watching all those guys when I was little, to do something that’s never been done is … I can’t put words on it. It’s an honor for sure.”
Gennett is first player in major league history to amass five hits, four homers and 10 RBIs in a game, according to STATS, Inc.
Gennett’s grand slam came in the third inning off Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright. He homered twice off right-hander John Gant, in the fourth and sixth innings, then went deep off John Brebbia in the eighth.
With the crowd on its feet with two outs in the eighth, Gennett took a called strike from Brebbia, then swung hard and missed to make the count 0-2. He lined the next pitch just over the right field wall, sending Great American Ball Park into delirium.
Gennett made a pair of curtain calls and returned to left field in the ninth inning to a standing ovation and chants of “Scoo-ter” from the 18,620 fans in attendance.
“I’m amazed by it,” said Reds manager Bryan Price, who was the pitching coach for the Seattle Mariners in 2002 when Mike Cameron went deep four times against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. “It’s very emotional. You’ve seen history. It’s an honor to bear witness to it from the dugout.”
Gennett, who was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on March 28, was mired in an 0-for-19 slump before he hit a two-run double in the seventh inning on Monday night. That double was softly hit to right. His first hit on Tuesday was a bloop to left that fell to drive in the game’s first run.
“That’s baseball,” Gennett said. “That’s why you never give up. Always try to get better and make adjustments. Our hitting coach Don (Long) has worked with me lately to kind of fine-tune some things. It did just that tonight.”
The last Reds player to drive in 10 runs in a game was Walker Cooper on July 6, 1949, against the Chicago Cubs.
While a throng of reporters gathered close by, Gennett worked with clubhouse staff to ensure that every uniform and equipment item was collected for transport to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. He also offered a light-hearted jab for reporters: “You guys weren’t all here when I was 0-for-19. It’s good to see you again.”
Cincinnati (27-30) has won nine of its past 14 meetings with St. Louis (26-30). The Cardinals weren’t in much of a mood to admire history.
“I think we’re all tired of making excuses,” said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. “We’ve just got to change what’s going on, and we will.”
Overshadowed by Gennett’s night was a solid performance by Tim Adleman (4-2). The Reds right-hander allowed one run and three hits while tying a career high with seven strikeouts over seven innings.
“It’s always nice to have Scooter Gennett on your team,” Adleman said. “It was big to go deep and give our horses in the bullpen a break.”
Stephen Piscotty hit a solo homer for St. Louis, which has dropped five straight.
The Reds pounded Wainwright (6-4), who tied a career high by allowing nine earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Wainwright had yielded just one earned run over his previous four starts.
Gennett started the scoring for Cincinnati with his bloop single in the first to drive home Billy Hamilton, putting the Reds ahead 1-0.
Gennett was just getting started, and St. Louis would lament a couple of ill-fated decisions.
In the third, the Cardinals challenged a ruling that right fielder Piscotty caught Eugenio Suarez’s fly ball up against the wall in foul territory that resulted in a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.
The ball clearly struck the padded wall before being caught, so the run was taken off the board along with the second out. Suarez walked to load the bases, and with one out, Gennett followed with a grand slam on a 3-2 pitch to make the score 5-0.
“He had a career night,” Wainwright said. “He almost beat us all by himself.”
The Cardinals would regret another decision in the fourth when they chose to intentionally walk Joey Votto to load the bases with two outs and face Suarez, who laced a bases-clearing triple to center, making the score 8-0.
Gennett’s two-run home run off Gant, who was making his Cardinals debut in relief of Wainwright, made the score 10-0.
“For a little guy like me to do this is just short of a miracle,” Gennett said. “Baseball’s an amazing game. You go 0-for-19, then hit four home runs in a game. It’s pretty wild.”
NOTES: Before Reds LF Scooter Gennett, the last major-leaguer to homer four times in a game was the Texas Rangers’ Josh Hamilton on May 8, 2012, against the Baltimore Orioles. … Gennett’s last grand slam came on June 25, 2014, vs. Washington. … Cincinnati LHP Tony Cingrani was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and RHP Lisalverto Bonilla was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. … Reds RF Scott Schebler was out of the lineup for the third straight day after straining his left shoulder making a diving catch on Saturday. He entered as a defensive replacement and later drew a walk. … Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong (strained left elbow) began a rehab assignment with Class A Peoria on Tuesday. He is expected to be there at least three days.
Photo credit – John Minchillo / Associated Press / Cincinnati, OH