Votto, Solano, India homer, Reds rough up Wainwright, Cards

CINCINNATI -- — Joey Votto, Donovan Solano and Jonathan India homered, Tyler Naquin drove in four runs and the Cincinnati Reds opened the second half of the season with a 9-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson suffered a broken right clavicle when he was hit by Goldschmidt's foul tip in the first inning. He exited after being unable to make a throw on Goldschmidt’s chopper between the plate and mound.

“I thought the pain would go away, but when I went to throw, I couldn’t do it," Stephenson said. "I have to sleep in a chair. I can feel the bones rub together. The good thing is no surgery. It just has to heal right.”

The Reds roughed up Adam Wainwright after losing three of their last four games following a season-high, five-game winning streak.

Paul Goldschmidt, who homered in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, went deep for the second-place Cardinals, who began the day trailing NL Central-leading Milwaukee by a half-game.

Wainwright (6-8) was tagged for a season-high seven runs in 5 1/3 innings — as many runs as the veteran right-hander allowed in five May starts. He gave up five hits with three walks and two strikeouts while slipping to 0-3 over his last four starts. He hasn't won since June 27.

Both teams had issues with plate umpire Ryan Additon's ball-strike calls. Cardinal manager Oliver Marmol's frustration boiled over in the eighth inning, when he was ejected for the second time in his career.

“It's tough to evaluate that start,” Marmol said. “It was frustrating. That game could've gone a different way with a couple of strike calls.”

The Reds led 5-4 in the sixth when Wainwright issued one-out walks to Michael Papierski and Kyle Farmer. Naquin greeted Jordan Hicks with a two-run triple got past diving center fielder and rolled to the wall. Solano followed with a sacrifice fly.

“I'm not an excuse-maker,” Wainwright said. “You've still got to get outs. I walked three guys, and they all scored. I gave up two home runs. Let's leave it at that.”

Reds starter Graham Ashcraft threw a career-high 112 pitches and tied his career high with eight strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. The rookie right-hander allowed seven hits and four runs with three walks.

Reiver Sanmartin (4-4) got the final out of the fifth for the win.

Papierski walked with one out in the second and went to third on Kyle Farmer’s double, setting up Naquin’s tying single. Solano gave the Reds the lead with a drive deep into the lower deck in left field.

“Oh, man, I love that," Naquin said. "I like when guys are on base. I think the (All-Star) break resets things. It resets the mind. I felt good tonight. I plan to ride that out.”

“The bottom of our order has been doing a really nice job," Reds manager David Bell said. "They’ve been a big part of our order over the last few weeks. It takes the pressure off the other guys. Getting contributions from everyone is really important.”

Votto made it 5-2 with his first homer since June 30, his seventh of the year. India homered in the seventh.

After Tyler O’Neill walked to lead off the fifth, Goldschmidt followed with his 21st homer, a drive into the upper deck in left field that cut Cincinnati’s lead to 5-4.

O’Neill gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the second with a bases-loaded single.

POWER SURGE

The Reds’ three homers were more than their total from the previous eight games between the two teams.

UP NEXT

St. Louis LHP Steven Matz (3-3, 6.03) is scheduled to make on Saturday his first start since May 22. He’s been sidelined with left shoulder problems. Cincinnati LHP Mike Minor (1-6, 6.21) is 0-4 over his last five starts.

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