Advertisement

Scooter Gennett hits historic 4 homers, drives in 10 as Cincinnati Reds rout St. Louis Cardinals

By Jeff Wallner, The Sports Xchange

CINCINNATI -- Scooter Gennett became the first player in Reds history to hit four home runs in a game, leading Cincinnati to a 13-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.

The left fielder also drove in 10 runs.

Advertisement

Gennett hit his second career grand slam in the third inning off Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright. He homered twice off right-hander John Gant, in the fourth and sixth innings, then went deep off John Brebbia in the eighth to cap an historic night in which he became only the 17th major league player to homer four times in a game.

With the crowd on its feet with two outs in the eighth, Gennett took a called strike from Brebbia, then swung from his heels and missed to make the count 0-2. He lined the next pitch just over the right field wall, sending Great American Ball Park into delirium. He went 5-for-5, including an RBI single in the first inning.

Advertisement

Gennett, a utility player who was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on March 28, was mired in an 0-for-19 slump before his two-run double in the seventh inning on Monday night.

Gennett also tied the franchise's single-game RBI record. The last Reds player to drive in 10 runs in a game was Walker Cooper on July 6, 1949, against the Chicago Cubs.

Cincinnati (27-30) has won nine of its past 14 meetings with the Cardinals (26-30).

Overshadowed by Gennett's night was a solid performance by Tim Adleman (4-2). The Reds right-hander allowed one run and three hits while tying a career-high with seven strikeouts over seven innings.

Stephen Piscotty hit a solo homer for St. Louis, which has dropped five straight.

The Reds pounded Wainwright (6-4), who tied a career high by allowing nine earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Wainwright had allowed just one earned run over his previous four starts.

Gennett started the scoring for Cincinnati with a bloop single in the first to drive home Billy Hamilton, putting the Reds ahead 1-0. Gennett was just getting started.

St. Louis would lament a couple of ill-fated decisions.

Advertisement

In the third, the Cardinals challenged a ruling that right fielder Piscotty caught Suarez's fly ball up against the wall in foul territory which resulted in a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.

The ball clearly struck the padded wall before being caught, so the run was taken off the board along with the second out. Suarez walked to load the bases and with one out, Gennett followed with a grand slam on a 3-2 pitch to make the score 5-0.

St. Louis would regret another decision in the fourth when they chose to intentionally walk Joey Votto to load the bases with two outs and face Suarez, who laced a bases-clearing triple to center, making the score 8-0.

Gennett's two-run home run off Gant, who was making his Cardinals debut in relief of Wainwright, made the score 10-0.

NOTES: Before Reds LF Scooter Gennett, the last major-leaguer to homer four times in a game was the Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton on May 8, 2012, against the Baltimore Orioles. ... Gennett's last grand slam came on June 25, 2014, vs. Washington. ... Cincinnati LHP Tony Cingrani was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and RHP Lisalverto Bonilla was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. ... Reds RF Scott Schebler was out of the lineup for the third straight day after straining his left shoulder making a diving catch on Saturday. He entered as a defensive replacement and later drew a walk. ... Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong (strained left elbow) began a rehab assignment with Class A Peoria on Tuesday. He is expected to be there at least three days.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines