ST. LOUIS (AP) Adam Duvall joined some rare Cincinnati Reds company. And he did it in style.
Joey Votto and Duvall hit three of Cincinnati’s four homers as the Reds routed the St. Louis Cardinals 15-2 on Monday night.
Reds starter Tim Adleman (3-4) retired the first 10 Cardinals he faced and went a career-long seven innings. It was his first win since Aug. 19.
The Reds improved to 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Cardinals, who fell one game behind the idle San Francisco Giants for the second wild card spot with six games to go.
Duvall’s three-run homer in the fifth gave him a career-high five RBI and it gave him 100 for the season. It was the third multi-homer game and his first four-hit game of his career.
“At the beginning of the season it’s not something you really set out for because you don’t know how the season is going to go,” Duvall said of the RBI milestone. “Throughout the season I’ve had a lot of chances to drive in runs because the guys in front of me have gotten on.”
He became the 13th Reds player to hit 30 homers, 30 doubles and drive in 100 RBI in a season, joining the likes of Dave Parker, Johnny Bench, George Foster and Frank Robinson.
“It’s a huge accomplishment to hit 30 homers, knock in 100 runs and make the All-Star team,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “Plus, according to some of these websites, he’s got the top defensive zone rating among left fielders.”
Not bad for a player who broke Spring Training in a platoon.
“I don’t think that I have ever had a doubt that I could do this,” Duvall said. “I’ve always driven in runs and hit home runs. It’s just I’ve never had an opportunity to do it at this level. And it is gratifying to show people that I could do it at this level.”
Steve Selsky went 5-for-5 including a homer, four RBI and scored three runs. He’s the first Reds rookie to have five hits in a game since Wade Rowdon against the Mets on July 9, 1986.
“I got opportunities tonight,” Selsky said. “I took some good swings on good pitches and found some holes.”
Votto and Duvall hit back-to-back homers in the first to start the offensive barrage. They combined for seven hits, six runs, three homers and six RBI.
The Reds sent 12 men to the plate in a seven-run fourth and 11 more in a four-run fifth.
Brandon Phillips had his 14th career four-hit game.
Jaime Garcia (10-13) lasted just one inning in his shortest outing of his career and possibly last as a Cardinal. Jose Peraza and Phillips singled against him and combined to steal three bases and almost a fourth, but Peraza was thrown out at third.
Garcia drew boos from the 34,942 fans after Phillips easily swiped third base after it appeared Garcia didn’t bother to look him back. It was the first time in 240 regular season games that the Cardinals failed to drew at least 40,000, dating back to Sept. 24, 2013.
“You never want to be embarrassed and that’s an embarrassing loss,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “The preparation was right, guys were going about it the right way and you’re going to have those from time to time. The key is to let it go and get back in there and show a different product tomorrow.”
Michael Wacha gave up seven runs and Luke Weaver gave up five runs in 3 1/3 innings of combined relief.
“This doesn’t happen often for anybody,” Price said. “You don’t get 22 hits and 15 runs too often, so you relish them when they come.”
TRAINERS ROOM
Cardinals: IF Matt Carpenter (right ring finger) was out of the lineup and it is uncertain if he will play tomorrow. … SS Aledmys Diaz left the club to join Jose Fernandez‘ family in a private ceremony. Diaz and Fernandez, the Miami Marlins pitcher who died in a boating accident early Sunday morning, were boyhood friends.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Robert Stephenson (2-2, 5.59 ERA) gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings to the Cubs last Wednesday. It is his first career appearance against St. Louis.
Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (12-9, 4.57 ERA) has given up four runs while failing to get out of the fifth inning in each of his last two starts. He is 0-1 with a 6.06 ERA in three starts this season against Cincinnati.
Photo credit – Jeff Roberson / Associated Press / St. Louis, MO