CINCINNATI -- The St. Louis Cardinals hoped their come-from behind victory Wednesday over the Chicago Cubs would get them back on track.
Instead, they followed with their most one-sided defeat this season.
Todd Frazier and Brandon Phillips homered and drove in three runs as the last-place Cincinnati Reds beat the National League Central-leading Cardinals 11-0 on Thursday night.
St. Louis opened its longest trip this season -- 10 games in 11 days -- with its fourth loss in five games, including a 9-0 loss to the Cubs on Monday.
Reds first baseman Joey Votto doubled and singled, driving in a run and scoring one, a day after his tantrum at home plate following an ejection.
Garcia (8-5) lasted a season-low 4 1/3 innings and gave up six runs. He had been 5-0 in seven starts since losing to the Reds on July 28.
"Definitely not a good one," Garcia said. "There are no excuses. I've got to do a better job the next time."
John Lamb (1-3), one of three left-handers acquired from Kansas City for Johnny Cueto in late July, shook off control problems for his first major-league victory. He walked 6, struck out 6 and gave up 3 hits in 5 innings.
"It was a crazy game," Lamb said.
Four relievers combined to complete St. Louis's 12th shutout loss this year, matching last season's total.
The Reds scored their first two runs on groundouts. Lamb drove in his first career RBI in the second and Phillips made it 2-0 in the third.
Cincinnati chased Garcia in a four-run fifth that included RBI doubles by Votto and Frazier. Phillips and Bruce each had a sacrifice fly.
Votto's double into the left-field corner came on a 3-2 pitch after he fell behind 0-2 and was sent sprawling by a high-and-tight fastball.
"He's locked in right now," Manager Mike Matheny said of Votto. "That kind of changed the game a little bit."
Phillips hit his 12th home run, a leadoff shot in a three-run seventh. Right fielder Jason Heyward almost made a leaping catch but he couldn't keep the ball in his glove.
Frazier added his 32nd home run, a two-run line drive in the eighth.
"It's a great feeling, but you have to stay on an even keel," Frazier said.
ROCKIES 4, PADRES 3 Nolan Arenado hit his NL-leading 38th home run and Colorado center fielder Charlie Blackmon made a leaping catch of Brett Wallace's ninth-inning drive near the top of the wall. Carlos Gonzalez hit his 37th home run for the Rockies and Daniel Descalso hit a tie-breaking shot to lead off the eighth. Corey Dickerson also connected for Colorado. Descalso homered off Joaquin Benoit (6-5), who hadn't pitched since Saturday because of back spasms. Justin Miller (1-0) struck out the side in the seventh and struck out all seven batters he faced in the series. John Axford closed for his 21st save.
BREWERS 6, PIRATES 4 (13) Logan Shafer singled home Nevin Ashley with the go-ahead run in the top of the 13th and visiting Milwaukee spoiled A.J. Burnett’s return with a victory over Pittsburgh. Luis Sardinas added an insurance run off Radhames Liz (1-4) with a single as the Brewers beat the Pirates for the seventh consecutive time despite twice having late leads erased by Pittsburgh home runs. Andrew McCutchen’s 22nd home run of the season tied it in the eighth. Gregory Polanco’s home run off Milwaukee closer Francisco Rodriguez tied it again in the 12th after the Brewers had gone up on an RBI single by Ryan Braun. Rodriguez (1-3) got the victory after blowing the save. Kyle Lohse earned the second save of his 15-year career. Burnett (North Little Rock, Central Arkansas Christian) gave up three first-inning runs in his return from a lengthy stay on the disabled list with a strained right elbow. Pittsburgh remained 4 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the NL Central, but in control of the wild-card race.
METS 7, BRAVES 2 Bartolo Colon’s shutout streak ended at 31 innings while he won his fourth consecutive start, pitching streaking New York past host Atlanta. Kevin Plawecki and Juan Uribe each drove in three runs for New York, which has won four in a row to increase its NL East lead to 7½ games over Washington. In a game that started 2 hours, 20 minutes late because of rain, Colon (14-11) allowed 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and struck out 2 in 6 2/3 innings. Colon, who added an RBI single in the fourth, led 4-0 before Jace Peterson’s RBI triple and Andrelton Simmons’ single in the seventh. Atlanta, which has lost 21 of 24 overall, dropped its ninth consecutive at home to match the franchise’s longest skid and worst since the 1988 team started 0-9 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. All-Star Shelby Miller (5-14) saw his winless streak reach 21 consecutive starts.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 7, TIGERS 5 Michael Brantley homered twice, including a tie-breaking, two-run drive in the eighth against Blaine Hardy (4-3). Cody Allen (2-4) pitched 1 2-3 innings and struck out American League hitting leader Miguel Cabrera to end the game. With their sixth consecutive home victory, the Indians closed to within four games of Texas for the league's second wild card. Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels are between the Rangers and Indians in the wild-card race.
MARINERS 5, RANGERS 0 Nelson Cruz reached 40 home runs for the second consecutive season, Felix Hernandez pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and the Seattle beat Texas. Cruz missed the previous six games because of a strained right quadriceps. He matched his career high for home runs set last season with Baltimore, connecting for a two-run shot in a three-run seventh. Hernandez (17-8) struck out eight and walked four. He tied Houston's Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) for the most victories in the AL. Derek Holland (3-2) worked 7 innings, allowing all 5 runs and 9 hits.
Sports on 09/11/2015