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Encarnacion leads Reds to third straight win

Apr 29, 2008 - 4:08 AM By Thad Kemlage PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - Edwin Encarnacion delivered a pair of RBI doubles and made a run-saving play in the field to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

Bronson Arroyo tossed six effective innings and Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn each drove in a run for the Reds, who have won three contests in a row.

"I finally had some zip on the ball and I felt much stronger than I have in any other start," Arroyo said. "It's a lot easier to beat guys when that happens."

Rick Ankiel blasted a solo home run for the Cardinals, who failed to win their third consecutive game.

Cincinnati tagged St. Louis for two runs in the second frame on three consecutive hits. Phillips led off the inning with a double and Dunn singled him home for the first run. Encarnacion then doubled down the left-field line to score Dunn and extend the advantage to 2-0.

Phillips added an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the third and Encarnacion doubled again later in the inning to make it 4-0. The Cardinals' defense lost the ball in the lights as Encarnacion's harmless pop fly fell in between three fielders, ultimately scoring the game winning run.

"You play hard everyday and you never know what can happen," Encarnacion said of his unlikely double.

Arroyo, who nearly went two straight seasons without getting a win in April, was good enough in this one. The righthander gave up three runs and six hits with a season-high six strikeouts over his longest outing of the season.

"It was nice to get him on the board today," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of his starter. "(Bronson) gave us exactly what we needed."

Two relievers bridged the gap to closer Chad Cordero, who pitched around a two-out hit in the ninth for his fourth save of the campaign.

Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer got hit hard early but settled down, surrendering four runs and seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts over six innings.

"After the third inning, I felt really good," Wellemeyer said. "I did a good job getting ahead of the guys in the second half of the game ... I just couldn't do that in the first half."

The Cardinals chipped away at the 4-0 deficit highlighted by Ankiel's fifth homer of the season in the fifth inning. Four of Ankiel's homers have come at Busch Stadium.

Encarnacion, a third baseman, made a spectacular diving stop in the seventh, robbing Yadier Molina of an RBI single and preserving St. Louis' 4-3 lead.

"That's what it takes to win games," Encarnacion said. "When you make plays like that, you can win a lot of games."

Albert Pujols went 2-for-4, reaching base safely in all 27 games this season.

"You got to create your chances, I don't look at them as missed chances," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "I think you got to give Arroyo credit as well."