Carpenter, Gorman homers, Cardinals reach .500 for first time in 6 weeks with 5-3 win over Reds

CINCINNATI (AP) - Matt Carpenter hit a go-ahead home in the third inning, Nolan Gorman also went deep and the St. Louis Cardinals reached .500 for the first time in six weeks with a 5-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Carpenter hit his first home run for the Cardinals since April 30, 2021, as St. Louis (27-27) won for the 12th time in 15 games. The Cardinals had not been at .500 since they were 9-9 before play on April 17 and they had dropped to 15-24 before their turnaround. They have won five straight series.

A 38-year-old three-time All-Star who played for the Cardinals from 2011-21, Carpenter hit a third-inning drive off Frankie Montas (2-4). Carpenter is batting .250 with four RBIs in 36 at-bats.

Gorman hit his 10th home run of the season, an eighth-inning drive off Brent Suter, and also had an RBI double that boosted the lead to 2-0 in the fourth.

Andre Pallante (1-1) allowed three hits in six scoreless innings in his first start since July 31, 2022. He struck out four and walked three.

St. Louis had used Matthew Liberatore as its fifth starter after Steven Matz strained his lower back in early May.

Ryan Helsley allowed Tyler Stephenson’s sacrifice fly in the ninth before Elly De La Cruz hit into a game-ending forceout that gave Helsley his major league-leading 18th save in 19 chances.

Montas (0-4) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings, dropping to 0-4 in his last eight starts.

Brendan Donovan and Masyn Winn had three hits each.

Jonathan India had an RBI single in the seventh and Jeimer Candelario hit a run-scoring double in the eighth.

De La Cruz had two hits and is hitting .216 in May with 37 strikeouts. He has 74 strikeouts in 201 at-bats this season, tying teammate Will Benson for the major league lead through Wednesday afternoon’s games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: TJ Friedl was 0 for 3 with two walks in his return after missing 15 games after he broke his left thumb when hit by a pitch from Kyle Harrison at San Francisco on May 12. Friedl was activated from the 10-day IL and 1B Mike Ford was designated for assignment.

UP NEXT Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (3-5, 5,64) will start Friday at Philadelphia. RHP Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.04) takes the mound for the Phillies.

Reds: RHP Graham Ashcraft (4-3, 4.67) starts Friday at the Chicago Cubs.

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