CINCINNATI (AP) - The Cardinals want to look back on their big comeback as they day they finally put it all together.
Jose Martinez hit his first grand slam during a nine-run fourth inning , and St. Louis overcame Adam Wainwright’s rough return from the disabled list, beating the Cincinnati Reds 13-4 on Sunday.
The Cardinals took two of three in the series, moving them to 55-56. They’ve been stuck near the break-even point for since the start of July, unable to get on a streak in large part because of poor clutch hitting.
Problem solved for one day. St. Louis matched its season highs with 16 hits and eight extra-base hits. Every starter except Wainwright had a hit, and seven players drove in a run.
“We’re hoping this is the day we can look back on and say hey, that’s when it started,” said Matt Carpenter, who had a two-run triple.
St. Louis sent 13 batters to the plate for nine runs in the fourth, matching its biggest inning of the season. Martinez connected off Homer Bailey (3-6), who gave up a career-high 10 runs in only 3 1/3 innings. Bailey has been hit hard in his return from surgery to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow last February.
“It was a little bit of everything,” said Bailey, who allowed 10 hits and walked four. “It was one of those days where I just didn’t have it.”
The Cardinals went 9 for 19 with runners in scoring position, their best clutch hitting of the season. Martinez’s grand slam put them in control.
“We’ve needed that big hit, right?” manager Mike Matheny said. “You’ve heard me talk about that. That’s a good time to have one.”
The big offensive showing overcame a rugged first inning by Wainwright, who had spent the last 12 days on the DL with a stiff back. Joey Votto hit a three-run homer , and Wainwright threw 39 pitches before retiring a batter. Wainwright left after three innings and 88 pitches.
The right-hander was rusty after the layoff and developed a cut near the tip of the nail on his index finger, interfering with his grip on the fastball.
“I had no command of the fastball at all,” he said.
Brett Cecil (2-4) allowed three hits in three innings for the win, dropping the Reds to 6-17 since the All-Star break.
A DEFENSIVE SAVE
The Reds were up 3-0 in the first and had the bases loaded with none out when Carpenter fielded Jesse Winker’s grounder, stepped on first and threw home for a double play that helped Wainwright escape the inning.
BAILEY’S STRUGGLES
Bailey has given up 26 runs in 25 1/3 innings during his last five starts while going 1-4. Elbow and shoulder issues have limited him to 17 starts over the last three seasons. He’s gone 5-10 with a 7.71 ERA. Bailey is in the fourth year of a six-year, $105 million deal.
STATS
The Cardinals also scored nine runs in an inning at Wrigley Field on July 21. The last time the Reds gave up so many runs in an inning was July 25, 2015, when they allowed 10 at Coors Field. … Votto’s 250th career homer extended his hitting streak to 11 games. It was his 135th homer at Great American Ball Park, tying Jay Bruce for the most.
INCOGNITO
David Letterman sat inconspicuously behind home plate and tried to wave himself off the videoboard when he was shown after the eighth inning.
MAKE IT 8
RH Robert Stephenson went on the 10-day DL with a sore pitching shoulder, injured Wednesday when he made a dive for a popped-up bunt. He’s the eighth Reds starter to go on the DL this season. … SS Zack Cozart was activated after recovering from a strained thigh.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: LH Kevin Siegrist went on the 10-day DL with tendinitis in his left forearm. He last pitched on Thursday.
Reds: RH Scott Feldman was expected to start on Monday against the Padres, but has been pushed back a few days to give him more time to recover from a sore right knee.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (7-9) faces Jason Vargas (13-5) in the opener of a two-game series in Kansas City. The Royals then visit St. Louis for a pair of games. St. Louis is 3-8 in interleague play this season.
Reds: Tim Adleman (5-9) faces Jhoulys Chacin (11-7) in the opener of a four-game series against the Padres at Great American. Adleman hasn’t pitched since July 29. He’s 0-5 in his last six starts with a 7.34 ERA.
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