CINCINNATI (AP) — A little vintage Adam Wainwright and another booed hit by Yadier Molina have the St. Louis Cardinals headed up.
Wainwright allowed only two hits in six innings, and Molina’s bases-loaded single snapped a tie in the eighth on Thursday night, sending the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 and yet another series win in their lopsided NL Central rivalry.
Molina’s third hit of the game led St. Louis to its fourth victory in five games. The Cardinals (32-28) are a season-high four games over .500, tied with the Pirates for second place, 10 games behind the Cubs.
St. Louis took two of three and has won 18 of its last 22 series with Cincinnati.
Wainwright’s slow start to the season was a part of the Cardinals’ struggles. He’s gotten his fastball back and has thrown five straight quality starts, with this one the best yet.
The Cardinal who gets booed the loudest in Cincinnati was in the middle of another comeback. His one-out single off Ross Ohlendorf (4-5) put St. Louis up 3-2 and drew jeers. Molina has been booed regularly at Great American Ball Park since a brawl that started between him and Brandon Phillips in 2010.
Molina also doubled and scored a run in the second inning, getting booed that time, too.
Seung Hwan Oh (2-0) pitched one inning in relief of Wainwright, who was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh with two runners aboard and the score tied. Trevor Rosenthal retired the side in the ninth for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Matt Carpenter scored twice, including the go-ahead run after opening the eighth inning with a double.