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Reds beat Carpenter, complete sweep of Cardinals

May 15, 2011 - 9:19 PM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce both hit a two-run double, and the Cincinnati Reds held on to complete a three-game sweep of the Cardinals with a 9-7 win at Great American Ball Park.

Ramon Hernandez and Chris Heisey both added a solo homer for Cincinnati, which swept St. Louis in a three-game series for the first time since September 11-13, 2007. The Reds have won nine of 11 overall.

Travis Wood (3-3) worked six effective innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. The left-hander walked one and struck out three. Francisco Cordero retired the final two batters to record his seventh save of the season.

"We battled, played good defense and we hit today," Wood said. "We've been hitting well all series. We were able to put together some good swings, manage some runs and pull it out."

Lance Berkman and Yadier Molina hit back-to-back solo homers for the Cardinals, who have dropped four of their last five. Ryan Theriot and Nick Punto had a two-run double apiece in the top of the ninth inning.

Chris Carpenter (1-3) took the loss -- his first against the Reds since June 6, 2006. The righty was roughed up for nine hits and eight runs -- seven earned -- in 6 1/3 innings. He fanned five and walked two. Carpenter had gone 10-0 over his previous 12 starts against Cincinnati coming into the contest.

Aroldis Chapman took the hill for the ninth with the Reds up 9-2 and walked the bases loaded with one out. Pinch-hitter Allen Craig drew yet another free pass to force in a run and Nick Masset was brought in, but gave up a two-run double to Theriot.

Cordero then entered and served up a two RBI double to Punto for a 9-7 game. Albert Pujols was hit by a pitch and Matt Holliday grounded into a fielder's choice, leaving runners on the corners. Berkman went down on strikes to end the game.

St. Louis opened the scoring in the second when Berkman and Molina hit back- to-back homers.

"He threw me two good split fingers, low on the outside corner and then came back with a hard fastball and I was able to get to it," Berkman said about his homer off Wood.

Hernandez's shot to right leading off the third got the Reds on the board and they would put up two more in the fourth to go in front.

Bruce reached with a one-out single and came around to score on Scott Rolen's base hit to center, coupled with a throwing error on Jon Jay. Rolen took third and crossed the plate on a ground out by Fred Lewis to put Cincinnati ahead 3-2.

Rolen knocked in a run with a triple in the sixth and Cincinnati broke it opened in the seventh.

With the bases loaded and one down, Phillips chased in two with a double to right that ended Carpenter's afternoon. Trever Miller came on and was greeted with a two-run double by Bruce to make it an 8-2 game.

Heisey added a solo homer in the eighth to give the Reds a seemingly comfortable lead.

Game Notes

The Reds lead the season series, 4-2...Wood improved to 2-0 in three career games against St. Louis...Cincinnati stranded five runners on base, while the Cardinals left seven.