ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna hit his first career game-ending homer in the 10th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals snapped Colorado’s four-game win streak with a 5-4 victory over the Rockies on Monday night.

Ozuna connected against Jake McGee (1-4), sending a one-out drive deep to center for his 13th homer. The slugger also extended his homer streak to three straight games.

Dakota Hudson (1-0) got three outs for his first career win.

Colorado opened a 4-0 lead when Nolan Arenado hit his fifth career grand slam in the fifth inning off Daniel Poncedeleon, who replaced Carlos Martinez when the right-hander departed with a mild shoulder strain with two outs.

Arenado went deep for the third time in four games. The drive to center gave him 79 RBI, one behind Cincinnati’s Eugenio Suarez for the National League lead.

Martinez was activated from the disabled list prior to the game. He missed his previous start with a right oblique strain.

Colorado left-hander Tyler Anderson allowed four runs in six-plus innings. He was replaced by Scott Oberg after he walked the first three batters in the seventh.

Dexter Fowler then struck out, but Harrison Bader walked and Matt Carpenter hit a tying two-run single with two out.

Charlie Blackmon singled off Martinez in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, matching his season high.

Gerardo Parra initially scored on a pitch from Poncedeleon to Anderson that sailed to the backstop in the sixth inning. The call was overturned after the Cardinals challenged the ruling on the field that Parra evaded Poncedeleon’s tag.

Jedd Gyorko homered in the fifth inning for St. Louis. It was Gyorko’s first since July 5 and No. 8 on the season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (right middle finger blister) threw a pregame side session. He is scheduled for a rehab start with Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday.

Cardinals: RHP Luke Gregerson was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder impingement. This is the third stint on the disabled list for Gregerson, who missed 52 games with the same injury from May 16 through July 13. LHP Chasen Shreve was added to the roster after he was acquired in a trade with the New York Yankees on Saturday, and LHP Tyler Webb was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

UP NEXT

Rockies right-hander Jon Gray (8-7, 5.16 ERA) will face Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty (4-5, 3.28 ERA) in the second game of the four-game series Tuesday night. Gray has a 1.26 ERA in 14 1/3 innings since being recalled from Albuquerque on July 14. Flaherty will be making his first career appearance against Colorado. He has failed to pitch into the sixth inning in his last four starts.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — In only his second season, Paul DeJong is comfortable batting third.

DeJong had three hits and three RBI, Yadier Molina also had three hits and drove in a run, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Friday night before a season-high crowd of 47,169 at Busch Stadium.

“I think last year I got some invaluable experience basically being able to play in that 3 hole every day and this year I feel that’s a good spot for me and lately I feel like that’s my identity,” said DeJong, who has hit safely in 13 of 16 games since returning from the disabled list. “Moving forward I’m just going to try to continue to try to get good at-bats.”

DeJong’s RBI triple, just the sixth for the Cardinals this season, tied the game at 1 in the third and Jose Martinez followed with an RBI single to give St. Louis the lead.

DeJong added a two-run single in the fourth. Molina scored twice.

One of the first things Mike Schildt did after taking over as Cardinals manager right before the All-Star break was move up Molina and DeJong into the second and third spots in the lineup behind Matt Carpenter.

“They seem comfortable there,” Schildt said. “Carp’s in the 1 hole and Yadi just takes good at-bats and you try to get your better hitters up as much as possible and he’s clearly one of those and Paul hit third for us last year in the second half and did a lot of damage. He takes good at-bats, he’s a professional hitter. It looks good to me.”

Cardinals starter Luke Weaver (6-9) gave up two runs in six innings. He had allowed 13 earned runs in 12 innings in three previous starts against the Cubs this season.

“I never felt like I pitched bad against them,” said Weaver, who earned his first career win against the Cubs. “Just fighting through it; just knowing that the stuff’s there. Just got to work around it and eliminate anything big happening.”

Mike Mayers and Jordan Hicks pitched perfect innings of relief before Bud Norris earned his 20th save in 23 chances as the Cardinals improved to 8-6 against the Cubs this season.

Cubs starter Mike Montgomery (3-4) gave up five runs and 12 hits in five innings. He has just one quality start in his last six outings.

“I think there’s a lot of good and then there’s some bad,” Montgomery said. “Kind of working on a few different pitches. Really just adjusting to how the hitters are. Facing some of the same teams in the division, you can’t always go about it the same way but I think physically I feel good.”

Cubs manager Joe Maddon isn’t concerned about Montgomery’s result struggles.

“The worst part out of his outing for me was bad counts,” Maddon said. “Getting in bad counts and they were just putting balls in play. Overall I thought everything else he did looked normal. He just needs to get in better counts where they could be more defensive.”

Anthony Rizzo’s 427-foot homer gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the third. Javier Baez added another solo blast, reaching the 20-homer mark for the second consecutive season, in the sixth.

CARDINAL MILESTONES

Molina played in his 1,820th game, tying him with Enos Slaughter for fourth on the Cardinals’ career list. Tommy Pham collected his 300th career hit in the fifth.

ROSTER MOVES

The Cubs acquired LHP Cole Hamels from Texas for RHP Eddie Butler, minor league RHP Rollie Lacey and a player to be named. Chicago also recalled RHP Alec Mills from Triple-A Iowa.

The Cardinals traded RHP Sam Tuivailala to Seattle for minor league RHP Seth Elledge. St. Louis also recalled Weaver from Single-A Peoria, LHP Tyler Webb, RHP Daniel Poncedeleon and purchased RHP Dakota Hudson from Triple-A Memphis, while designating LHP Tyler Lyons and RHP Greg Holland for assignment.

TRAINING ROOM

Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps tendinitis) threw a bullpen session.

Cardinals: LHP Brett Cecil (right foot inflammation) was placed on the 10-day disabled list and RHP Carlos Martinez (right oblique strain) threw a bullpen.

UP NEXT

The Cubs send lefty Jose Quintana (9-6, 3.87 ERA) against the Cardinals and right-hander Miles Mikolas (10-3, 2.82 ERA) in the second game of a three-game series. Quintana is 4-2 with a 2.77 ERA in seven career starts against St. Louis. Mikolas has allowed three runs or less in his last six starts.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — Eugenio Suarez didn’t wait around to get his team going on Wednesday.

Cincinnati’s All-Star third baseman homered for the third straight game, this time in the first inning, Tucker Barnhart added a two-run shot and the Reds powered to a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

“It is nice, man,” said Suarez, who’s homered in three straight games for the first time in his career.

“I didn’t expect to hit that one out. One more against St. Louis is nice. We always want to beat St. Louis, especially today. My family was here. I know I have a little bit of pop. The ball was out, off the plate. My barrel caught the ball and hit it out.”

Adam Duvall also homered for the Reds. Sal Romano (6-8) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings to give the Reds consecutive series wins over St. Louis for the first time since 2011.

Romano, who hadn’t pitched in 10 days and hadn’t started in 15, was surprisingly sharp with just one walk.

“I didn’t feel any different not to pitch for 10 days,” he said. “I just took a deep breath and decided to trust my stuff.”

Paul DeJong and Yadier Molina hit solo homers for the Cardinals, who went 3-5 on their eight-game road trip. DeJong homered in the third inning and Molina hit his 14th of the season in the seventh inning.

Molina flied out with the bases loaded and St. Louis trailing 5-3 in the eighth. The Cardinals were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and had 11 runners left on base — so many that it looked to interim manager Mike Shildt as if it were twice as many.

“We left 22 guys on base,” he said. “The good news was we had 22 guys to leave on. The discouraging news was we couldn’t get them in. We didn’t execute in situations where we could’ve done some damage. When you leave guys out there, it usually comes back to bite you.”

Suarez tied Monday’s game with a two-out solo homer in the ninth inning and Tuesday’s game with a two-out, two-run, seventh-inning shot.

The Cardinals had rookie starters each go deep without allowing a hit in the first two games of the series. The Reds went 7 1/3 innings without a hit on Monday and 6 1/3 without a hit on Tuesday.

Suarez got the Reds offense going early on Wednesday when he hit a two-run homer off Jack Flaherty.

Duvall added a two-out, opposite-field solo shot into the right-field seats in the fourth to make it 3-1, giving the Reds more than two runs in a game for the first time in their past six games.

“It was a better day offensively,” interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “There were a lot of good at-bats.”

John Gant gave up Barnhart’s two-run drive into the bullpen down the right-field line in the sixth to make it 5-2.

Phillip Ervin broke the game open with an eighth-inning two-run double.

Flaherty (4-5) allowed three runs, four hits, two walks with eight strikeouts in five innings.

LONG(BALL) DROUGHT

DeJong’s homer was his ninth of the season and first since May 11. The shortstop missed 45 games with a fractured left hand. He hit 25 homers last season.

SLUMP SNAPPED

Reds’ Scooter Gennett, who went into the All-Star break leading the National League in hitting, snapped a 0-for-15 slump with a third-inning single.

GLOVE! WHAT GLOVE!

For the third time this season, Romano fielded a comebacker with his bare right hand, this time throwing out pinch-hitter Tommy Pham to end the sixth with the tying run on third base.

DREADED `K’

Jose Peraza snapped his streak of 45 consecutive plate appearances with a strikeout with a swing to end the eighth. His streak was the longest active one in the majors.

ON TRACK

Even though Gant pitched an inning of relief, he’s still scheduled to start on Sunday, Shildt said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Head congestion has caused IF Jedd Gyorko to experience dizziness, Shildt said on Wednesday. “He just hasn’t been feeling himself, but he’s improving,” Shildt said.

Reds: OF Scott Schebler, who was eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday, was sent on a medical rehabilitation assignment to Triple-A Louisville. Schebler is out with a strained AC joint in his right shoulder.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver (5-9) has lasted exactly four innings in each of his previous three starts against the Cubs.

Reds: RHP Tyler Mahle (7-8) had been roughed up for 13 runs, 11 earned, in eight innings over his past two starts.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — Left-hander Austin Gomber took a no-hitter in the seventh inning and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run shot in the 11th on Tuesday night, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Mired in a season-long slump, Fowler connected off left-hander Amir Garrett (0-2) for only his second homer while batting right-handed.

Sam Tuivailala (3-3) escaped a two-on threat in the 10th. Bud Norris got his 19th save in 22 chances, one night after he took a loss.

For the second straight night, a Cardinals rookie went deep into the game without allowing a hit. Daniel Poncedeleon threw no-hit ball for seven innings in his major league debut Monday before the Reds rallied against Norris for a 2-1 win featuring Eugenio Suarez’s homer.

Gomber waited on the mound during a 7-minute, 30-second delay to the bottom of the seventh when the ballpark’s fire alarm went off. Joey Votto singled with one out for the Reds’ first hit, and Suarez followed with his 21st homer, ending the rookie’s debut as a starter.

Gomber made 15 relief appearances this season before the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A to get in shape to help their depleted rotation. He threw 90 pitches in his first major league start.

Homer Bailey returned from his latest injury and gave one of his best performances of the season, allowing a pair of runs and striking out a season-high eight batters in 6 2/3 innings. Bailey has been sidelined since late May by a sore right knee.

Bailey was so ineffective before the injury that the Reds considered moving him to the bullpen. He’s 1-7 in 13 starts this season.

Jose Martinez singled home a run in the fourth and Yairo Munoz doubled home another in the seventh.

ROTATION SWITCH

The Cardinals optioned Poncedeleon to Triple-A Memphis, opening a roster spot for Gomber.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez threw in the outfield, the latest step in his recovery from a strained right oblique. He could return to the rotation next week if his recovery continues on schedule.

Reds: RH reliever Jackson Stephenson went on the 10-day DL with torn cartilage in his right knee, which began bothering him over the weekend. There are no immediate plans for surgery. … Second baseman Scooter Gennett was back in the lineup a day after illness limited him to pinch hitting.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Jack Flaherty (4-4) makes his fourth career start against the Reds. He made the shortest start of his career last Sept. 19 at Great American Ball Park, lasting only two innings.

Reds: Sal Romano (5-8) has faced the Cardinals twice, with the Reds losing both games.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — St. Louis starter Daniel Poncedeleon made a sensational debut 14 months after suffering a severe head injury, throwing no-hit ball for seven innings Monday night before Eugenio Suarez led the Cincinnati Reds’ two-out rally in the ninth for a 2-1 victory over the Cardinals.

Suarez’s two-out, solo homer off Bud Norris (3-3) tied it 1-1. The closer then loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, and pinch-hitter Dilson Herrera singled to end the Reds’ losing streak at four games. Jared Hughes (3-3) pitched the ninth.

The late rally overshadowed Poncedeleon’s incredible comeback.

The 26-year-old right-hander was hit on the right temple by a line drive while pitching for Triple-A Memphis on May 9 last year, fracturing his skull and causing bleeding in the brain. He had emergency surgery followed by months of slow recovery.

Poncedeleon was one of the top pitchers in the Pacific Coast League when St. Louis called him up Monday to help their injury-depleted rotation. He walked three and struck out three, threw 116 pitches and gave way to a pinch-hitter in the eighth with St. Louis up 1-0.

Jordan Hicks gave up a one-out single up the middle by pinch-hitter Phillip Ervin in the eighth for Cincinnati’s first hit. Suarez’s tying homer was only Cincinnati’s second hit. It was Norris’ third blown save in 21 chances.

Matt Carpenter had a pair of hits that extended his streak, including a double in the fifth inning off Luis Castillo. Yadier Molina followed with a single for his 17th RBI against the Reds this season, the most by any major league player against Cincinnati.

Carpenter homered in six straight games last week, a streak that ended on Sunday. He’s 14 for 28 in the last eight games.

ROOKIE SHOW

The Cardinals plan to start three rookies in the series, the first time they’ve had three rookies start in a row since September 1997 when Mike Busby, Matt Morris and Manny Aybar pitched against the Cubs. The last time they had three straight rookie starters before September was in August 1959, when Bob Gibson, Ernie Broglio and Marshall Bridges faced the Phillies, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Infielder Kolten Wong went on the 10-day DL with a sore left knee, opening a roster spot for Poncedeleon.

Reds: Second baseman Scooter Gennett was sick and out of the lineup. He pinch hit in the ninth and struck out. … Infielder Alex Blandino had surgery to reconstruct his ACL and repair damage to his MCL. He was injured in Friday’s game. His recovery is expected to take between six and eight months.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: LH Austin Gomber (0-0) makes his first major league start after 15 relief appearances this season, including two against the Reds.

Reds: Homer Bailey (1-7) returns from the DL and makes his first start since May 28. He’s been sidelined by a sore right knee. Bailey has made 12 starts for the Reds and has a 6.68 ERA.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Carpenter’s homer streak is over. Jose Quintana was that good.

Quintana pitched seven effective innings, keeping Carpenter in the ballpark and helping the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday.

“Everything kept getting sharper,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We needed him to go more deeply in the game. And he did.”

Quintana (9-6) allowed two runs and six hits, struck out six and walked four in his first start since July 10. The left-hander also matched his career high with 121 pitches after he got an extended break to work with pitching coach Jim Hickey on his changeup and get over some shoulder fatigue.

“We worked on that (changeup) the last couple starts and the last couple bullpen sessions,” Quintana said through a translator. “It was more just having the confidence to throw it, not so much the grip, but it was something I felt like I was able to use in certain spots.”

Kyle Schwarber hit a tiebreaking solo homer off Mike Mayers (2-1) with two out in the sixth inning, and the Cubs broke it open with three runs in the eighth. The NL Central leaders took three of five from the Cardinals in their first series after the All-Star break and moved 3 1/2 games ahead of second-place Milwaukee.

Carpenter’s homer streak ended at six games, a single-season record for St. Louis. The infielder went deep six times in the first four games of the series, including three homers in Friday’s 18-5 victory.

Carpenter ended his streak of 12 consecutive hits for extra bases when he led off the game with a bunt single. Third baseman Kris Bryant joined the Cubs’ outfielders during Carpenter’s at-bat, and Carpenter responded with the bunt to the left side.

“What a teammate,” manager Mike Shildt said. “He goes out and he’s clearly on a streak of consecutive games with a home run and in the first inning he’s gonna lay down a bunt because that’s what the opposition gives us.”

Carpenter advanced on Yadier Molina’s double and scored on Paul DeJong’s sacrifice fly. Carpenter was 1 for 12 against Quintana before the bunt hit.

Quintana intentionally walked Carpenter with runners at second and third in the second inning before striking out Molina looking.

Quintana struck out Carpenter swinging with one on after Yairo Munoz hit an RBI double in the fourth.

“I’m glad the manager had faith in me in a tight game to go out there and go seven innings,” Quintana said.

The Cubs pushed across two runs in the bottom half of the fourth, tying it at 2. Ian Happ smacked an RBI double down the right-field line and Willson Contreras hit a two-out RBI single to left.

Bryant hit an RBI single off Mayers in the seventh, and Contreras, Albert Almora Jr. and Anthony Rizzo each had a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Carpenter popped out with two on in the ninth against Randy Rosario.

Dexter Fowler and Yairo Munoz each had two hits for the Cardinals, who have dropped seven of 11. Miles Mikolas gave up two runs and six hits in five innings.

“He was good super good, had all his pitches going, everything working in a tight ballgame,” Shildt said. “I made a decision to hit for him. Different decision, different ballgame.”

HE SAID IT

“I don’t think it’s helped them a whole lot in this series. Unless they can put someone in the bleachers,” Shildt said about the Cubs playing four outfielders against Carpenter.

ON THE MOVE

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver, who was the 26th man for Saturday’s doubleheader and started Game 1, returned to the minors. He is expected to return next weekend to make a start.

Cubs: RHP Dillon Maples was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: INF Jedd Gyorko (illness) is feeling much better after sitting out Saturday’s doubleheader, Shildt said. Gyorko grounded out as a pinch hitter with two on in the sixth inning and stayed in the game.

Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish (right elbow impingement and inflammation) threw from 135 feet on flat ground and could throw off a mound soon. He has been on the disabled list since May 23. “Just making an educated guess, you can’t be overly reliant on somebody who hasn’t been able to be healthy and perform this year at the same time,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “You track the rehab closely because you have to try to anticipate what he might be able to give you. Today was his best day in a long time. He threw really well and felt really good.” . LHP Drew Smyly (Tommy John surgery) threw a simulated game and is expected to throw another one Thursday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Daniel Poncedeleon will make his major league debut Monday at Cincinnati. He underwent surgery in 2017 to relieve pressure around his brain after he was hit in the head by a line drive while pitching for Triple-A Memphis. RHP Luis Castillo (5-8, 5.49 ERA) is set to start for the Reds.

Cubs: RHP Luke Farrell (3-3, 3.86 ERA) will start Monday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks, who will start LHP Patrick Corbin (6-4, 3.24 ERA).

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBI, Ian Happ belted a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Thursday night in baseball’s first game after the All-Star break.

Anthony Rizzo added two doubles from the leadoff spot as Chicago kicked off a five-game series against St. Louis with its fourth consecutive victory. Victor Caratini had three hits and scored three times, and Ben Zobrist delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the Cubs’ five-run fifth inning.

With Chicago and St. Louis returning a day earlier than the rest of the majors, Cubs manager Joe Maddon held All-Stars Willson Contreras and Javier Baez out of the starting lineup. Caratini and Zobrist picked up the slack quite nicely as the NL Central leaders increased their advantage to a season-high three games over idle Milwaukee.

Yadier Molina matched a career high with four hits for St. Louis, but interim manager Mike Shildt was handed his first loss in his second game in charge after Mike Matheny was fired Saturday night. Tommy Pham and Matt Carpenter each hit a solo homer.

The Cardinals had a 3-1 lead before the Cubs started teeing off on Carlos Martinez (6-6) in the fifth.

Caratini singled, advanced to second on shortstop Paul DeJong’s throwing error and scored on Rizzo’s stinging double into the gap in right-center. Heyward hit a tying RBI single and Zobrist followed with a fly ball to center, driving in Kris Bryant for a 4-3 lead.

Happ then hit a drive deep to right-center for his 12th homer. He also went deep in his previous game, connecting for a solo shot in Saturday night’s 11-6 victory at San Diego.

Brian Duensing (3-0) got the last out of the fifth for the win. Pedro Strop got one out for his third save after the Cubs placed closer Brandon Morrow on the 10-day disabled list as part of a flurry of pregame moves.

Martinez allowed six runs, five earned, and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his previous four starts.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks also struggled, yielding nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. But he wiggled out of a couple jams while limiting the Cardinals to three runs.

WATCH OUT

Umpire Kerwin Danley staggered away from the plate after taking Bryant’s foul ball off his mask in the eighth. Molina helped steady Danley while a Cubs trainer came out of the dugout.

Danley stayed in the game after the trainer checked him out.

A LITTLE RELIEF

The Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez from Texas for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas in a deal announced after the game. Chavez is 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA this season. He was drafted by Chicago in the 39th round of the 2001 draft but did not sign.

MAKING MOVES

Morrow is dealing with right biceps inflammation. The DL stint is retroactive to Monday.

“It’s been bothering him a bit, but we thought it was manageable, but now it’s not,” Maddon said. “So we just have to take a little bit of a break. We don’t anticipate him being gone for a long time.”

Morrow, who turns 34 next Thursday, has 22 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 35 games.

The Cubs also activated outfielder Albert Almora Jr. and relievers Carl Edwards Jr. and Anthony Bass. Almora was placed on the family medical emergency list Sunday. Edwards was on the paternity list, and Bass was sidelined by an illness.

Infielder David Bote and reliever Rob Zastryzny were sent down to Triple-A Iowa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Harrison Bader was available off the bench after leaving Sunday’s 6-4 victory over Cincinnati with a hyperextended left knee.

Cubs: SS Addison Russell was visited by a trainer after making a diving stop behind second on Kolten Wong’s RBI single. But he stayed in the game. … SS Nico Hoerner, Chicago’s first-round pick in last month’s draft, hurt his left elbow diving for a ball in his fourth game with Class A South Bend. He will miss the rest of the season with the ligament injury, but he said he doesn’t think he will need surgery and could play again in the fall.

UP NEXT

Cubs ace Jon Lester and Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty get the ball on Friday afternoon. Lester (12-2, 2.58 ERA) is 8-0 with a 2.80 ERA in his last nine starts. Flaherty (3-4, 3.24 ERA) pitched five shutout innings in a no-decision against Cincinnati in his previous start on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Shildt wasn’t sure what to expect in his first day as interim manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.

He certainly didn’t foresee the treatment he received in a wild post-game celebration that occurred following the Cardinals’ 6-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

“They got me in a laundry basket and they spin you around and then they go at you with a bunch of cold water to the point where I was hyperventilating,” Shildt said.

Veteran Dexter Fowler, who homered in the win, was happy to lead the joyful water attack.

“That guy knows his stuff, and you’re happy to put a smile on his face and get the (first) win for him,” Fowler said.

The frivolity came at a perfect time for the Cardinals, who broke a six-game home losing streak.

Rumors of discontent in the locker room, along with inconsistent play, spelled the end for manager Mike Matheny, who was fired after Saturday’s 8-2 loss after six-plus seasons. The Cardinals were 591-474 during Mathey’s tenure and made the playoffs in each of his first four years. But St. Louis failed to reach the postseason the last two years.

Matheny was a gold glove catcher for St. Louis from 2000-04 and used those leadership qualities as a manager.

Veteran catcher Yadier Molina said the firing of Matheny reflects on the entire team.

“When you see that happen, it’s because us, as players, we’re not doing our job,” Molina said. “I hate to say it, but that’s what it is. The blame is on us.”

Matt Carpenter and Fowler homered to lead an opportunistic seven-hit attack. Tommy Pham broke out of a 0-for-20 slump with a two-run, go-ahead single for the Cardinals, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Cincinnati, which had won four of five, is 35-26 since beginning the season 8-27.

John Gant (3-3) picked up the win with four hitless innings of relief. He struck out four and walked two.

Carpenter began the game with a first-pitch homer, his fifth leadoff home run of the season and 20th of his career. He leads the team with 19 round-trippers.

Fowler added a solo shot in the second off Anthony DeSclafani (4-2) for a 2-0 lead.

Pham erased a 3-2 deficit with a two-run single that highlighted a four-run outburst in the fourth. It was Pham’s first hit since July 5. He entered the game in the second inning after starter Harrison Bader left with a knee injury.

Both Pham, who is hitting .243 and Fowler (.176), have struggled at times this season.

“Those are guys that have proven success in this league,” Shildt said. “It’s definitely good for their confidence.”

Shildt said he was still in awe of his new situation after the contest.

“I’m still not believing it to some degree,” Shildt said. “But it’s a real moment. (I) just got through managing a game for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Adam Duvall tied the game for the Reds with a two-run, bases-loaded single in the fourth. Jose Peraza then put his team in front with a single off the leg of starter Miles Mikolas.

DeSclafani allowed six earned runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings.

“I just wasn’t good,” DeSclafani said. “I was terrible.”

Mikolas, who is headed to the All-Star Game, surrendered three runs on six hits over four innings in his shortest outing of the season.

Reds outfielder Jesse Winker extended his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games with a third-inning single.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey allowed four earned runs in six innings of a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Friday. Bailey is 1-2 with a 5.87 ERA in six minor league appearances. He was put on the disabled list June 2 with right knee inflammation.

Cardinals: Bader suffered his knee injury while running out a hit to right field.

UP NEXT

Reds: Cincinnati begins the second half on Friday against Pittsburgh. Right-hander Tyler Mahle (7-7, 4.02) will get the start.

Cardinals: St. Louis travels to Chicago for a four-game series against the Cubs after the break.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Scooter Gennett and Dilson Herrera homered, Matt Harvey tossed five solid innings and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-1 on Friday night.

Jesse Winker reached base four times and drove in three runs for the Reds, who won their second in a row against St. Louis after breaking a 13-game losing streak to the Cardinals on June 10.

St. Louis had won 17 of the previous 20 games between the teams.

Winker staked the Reds to an early lead with a two-run double in the first.

Gennett hit his 17th homer of the season off Carlos Martinez (6-5) in the third to push the lead to 3-1.

Herrera added a three-run, pinch-hit homer off Sam Tuivailala to highlight a five-run outburst in the seventh.

Harvey (5-5) won his fourth successive decision. He allowed one run on four hits over five innings and left after walking Jose Martinez to start the sixth. He struck out five and walked two.

Harvey, who was acquired from the New York Mets on May 8, is 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA in his last six starts. He retired 10 consecutive batters before the walk to Martinez.

Yadier Molina, celebrating his 36th birthday, drove in the Cardinals’ run in the first.

Martinez gave up three runs on six hits over five innings. He had won his previous three starts.

Jose Peraza and Eugenio Suarez had three hits for Cincinnati, which has won three of four.

The Reds improved to 34-25 following their 8-27 start to the season. They are 39-37 under interim manager Jim Riggleman, who took over for Bryan Price on April 19.

Outfielder Billy Hamilton reached over the wall to rob Matt Carpenter of a homer in the seventh.

TATUM’S TOSS

Boston Celtics standout Jayson Tatum threw out the first pitch before the contest. The St. Louis native wore a Cardinals jersey with the No. 0, his NBA number.

Tatum attended Chaminade School in suburban St. Louis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Austin Brice (1-2, 6.04) was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Friday. RHP Tanner Rainey (0-0, 24.43) was optioned to Louisville.

Cardinals: Activated RHP Luke Gregerson (0-0, 8.64) and LHP Tyler Lyons (1-0, 5.93) from the disabled list. Gregerson had been sidelined since May 16 with right shoulder impingement. Lyons missed 33 games with a left elbow strain. RHPs John Brebbia (1-3, 4.13) and Luke Weaver (5-8, 4.72) were optioned to Memphis.

UP NEXT:

RHP Luis Castillo (5-8, 5.53) will face RHP Jack Flaherty (3-4, 3.34) in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday afternoon. Castillo is 0-3 with a 5.71 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals. Flaherty is coming off the shortest start of his career. He went just 2 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs in a 13-8 loss.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Carlos Rodon pitched three-hit, shutout ball into the eighth inning to outduel Luke Weaver and lead the Chicago White Sox to a 4-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

Tim Anderson tripled and had two RBI. Charlie Tilson singled in a run off reliever Mike Mayers in Chicago’s two-run seventh and Jose Abreu added an RBI groundout as White Sox ended a six-game losing streak and won for just the third time in their last 13.

Rodon (2-3) allowed only two singles and a double while walking two and striking out a season-high seven though 7 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old left-hander, who spent the first two months of 2018 on the disabled list rehabbing from shoulder surgery, sparkled in just his seventh start this season.

Joakim Soria got the final four outs for his 13th save in 16 chances.

Weaver (5-8) allowed one run on three hits and fanned seven his second straight impressive start. The right-hander pitched two-hit ball over a career-high eight innings last week in San Francisco.

Jose Martinez grounded a sharp single off Rodon with two outs in the first. Then the White Sox lefty didn’t allow another hit — and retired 14 of 15 batters — before Matt Carpenter doubled with one out in the sixth.

Rodon was coming off his strongest outing this season, when he allowed two runs on five hits in a six-inning no-decision at Houston last week.

The White Sox managed only three baserunners — with Yolmer Sanchez singling twice — before the fifth, when Chicago took a 1-0 lead.

Leury Garcia walked to lead off, advanced to third on Omar Narvaez’s single and came home when Anderson grounded into a force at second.

The White Sox scored twice with two outs in the seventh to make it 3-0. Narvaez singled, then scored on Anderson’s triple to the left field corner. Tilson’s single plated Anderson.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the eighth to chase Rodon. Paul DeJong led off with a single, Kolten Wong reached on an error and Carpenter walked.

But Juan Minaya fanned Tommy Pham for the second out, then Soria struck out Martinez to end the threat.

The White Sox added a run in the eighth when Yoan Moncada came home on Abreu’s groundout.

ALL-STAR NIX

Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas was removed from the National League’s active roster for the All-Star Game next Tuesday because he’s scheduled to start Sunday against Cincinnati. Los Angeles Dodgers righty Ross Stripling was added to the NL pitching staff Wednesday as Mikolas’ replacement.

Mikolas is 10-3 with a 2.65 ERA and was selected to his first All-Star team last weekend. The 29-year-old is enjoying a resurgent season in the majors after three years in Japan.

ROSTER MOVES

The White Sox designated RHP Bruce Rondon for assignment and purchased the contract of RHP Jeanmar Gomez from Triple-A Charlotte before the game The 27-year-old Rondon went 2/3 with an 8.49 ERA and one save in 35 games. The reliever got one out and issued three walks in Tuesday night’s 14-2 loss to St. Louis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: CF Tommy Pham (bruised left ankle) was back in the lineup after being a last-minute scratch on Tuesday and struck out four times. Pham fouled a ball off his foot on Sunday. . Manager Mike Matheny said LHP Tyler Lyons (sprained left elbow) is close to returning from his rehab assignment. . RHP Luke Gregerson (right shoulder impingement) could be activated this weekend, but Matheny didn’t have a date.

White Sox: RHP Nate Jones (right forearm muscle strain) tossed live batting practice on Wednesday. Jones said he felt good and threw at “90-100 percent,” but the next steps in the right-hander’s recovery haven’t been determined . RHP Miguel Gonzales underwent right shoulder surgery in Los Angeles on Wednesday. His recovery time is expected to be nine to 12 months.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (6-4, 3.05) looks for his fourth straight win when he takes the mound against Cincinnati’s Matt Harvey (4-5, 4.80) on Friday in the opener of a three-game home series.

White Sox: RHP James Shields (3-10, 4.53) squares off against Kansas City RHP Brad Kelley (2-3, 2.52) on Friday in Chicago.

— Associated Press —