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Holliday homers twice, Cards thump Reds

Jul 6, 2011 - 3:53 AM St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Matt Holliday homered twice and knocked in four runs as the Cardinals hammered the Reds, 8-1, in the second portion of a three-game series.

Jaime Garcia (8-3) allowed one run on two hits and three walks through six innings as St. Louis won for the sixth time in eight games.

St. Louis activated first baseman Albert Pujols from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, but the three-time National League MVP didn't play in this game. Pujols was slated to miss 4-to-6 weeks after suffering a fracture to one of the bones in his left forearm during a June 19 contest against Kansas City.

"It's great. I think tomorrow we'll roll out the team that we thought our team would look like for most of the season. It's exciting," Holliday said about getting Pujols back.

Edinson Volquez (5-4) was touched for seven runs -- six earned -- on seven hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Scott Rolen brought in the Reds' lone run on a groundout in Cincinnati's fourth defeat in five games.

The Cardinals took an early lead when Holliday and Lance Berkman hit back-to- back solo home runs on consecutive pitches with two outs in the first inning.

St. Louis extended its lead in the fifth on Holliday's second homer of the night, this one a three-run shot into the center field bleachers to make it a 5-1 game.

"I guess if you miss your location, especially to their big boys over there, its going to hurt you," said Reds manager Dusty Baker.

Yadier Molina singled with one out in the sixth and Skip Schumaker followed with a ground-rule double that landed just inside the left-field foul line and bounced into the stands, knocking Volquez out of the game.

Sam LeClure took the bump next and allowed a bloop single into shallow center field by pinch-hitter Mark Hamilton, scoring Molina. Ryan Theriot followed with a two-run double into the left-center gap, giving the Cardinals an 8-1 lead.

Cincinnati got on the board in the fourth when Brandon Phillips led off with a ground-rule double, advanced to third on a Joey Votto groundout and crossed the plate on Rolen's grounder to short.

The Reds tried to rally in the ninth against reliever Mitchell Boggs. Boggs, who had trouble throwing strikes early, got Jay Bruce on a flyout to left field, but then walked three straight batters to load the bases. Cincinnati would not push a run across, though, as Boggs settled in and fanned pinch- hitter Fred Lewis and Drew Stubbs to end the game.

Game Notes

The Cardinals also placed pitcher Brian Tallet on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday...Volquez has now allowed at least one run in the first inning in eight of his 16 starts...Berkman's homer in the first inning was the 350th of his career and was hit an estimated distance of 452 feet, setting a new Busch Stadium record...Garcia improved to 5-1 in eight home starts.