Jose Martinez homered and singled during a 10-run rally in the sixth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame a seven-run deficit Friday night for a wild 12-11 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Down 7-0, the Cardinals put together their biggest inning of the season on the way to their sixth win in seven games.
Jesse Winker hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth off Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez. But Joey Votto grounded out with runners at the corners to give Martinez his seventh save.
St. Louis Cardinals' Jose Martinez, right, and Harrison Bader (48) celebrate Martinez's three-run home run off Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Jared Hughes during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoGary Landers)
Journeyman catcher Ryan Lavarnway hit two homers, doubled and drove in a career-high six runs for Cincinnati in his first game in the majors this season. Released by the Yankees this week after hitting .213 in a Triple-A backup role, Lavarnway was signed by the Reds after a series of injuries left them thin behind the plate.
The 31-year-old Lavarnway, who had played a total of 12 games in the big leagues in the last four seasons, went 3 for 4 with a walk.
The Reds rocked Adam Wainwright for nine hits and seven runs in 3 1/3 innings. His career earned-run average against the Reds jumped from 5.01 to 5.31, his worst against major league team.
Cincinnati Reds' Ryan Lavarnway follows through on a two-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Dominic Leone during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoGary Landers)
Michael Wacha (6-4) wound up with the win, allowing three hits in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Jose Martinez had an infield single that loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth against Tyler Mahle. Paul DeJong hit a two-run double off Matt Bowman that made it 7-5 and a two-out error by Votto at first base let the Cardinals tie it.
Martinez capped the comeback with a three-run homer off Jared Hughes (3-3).
St. Louis Cardinals' Andrew Knizner, left, slides head first to score during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, July 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoGary Landers)
DeJong added a long two-run homer in the seventh, his second in two nights off Robert Stephenson.
Lavarnway hit a three-run homer in the fourth that finished Wainwright for his first home run in the big leagues since Aug. 23, 2015, for Atlanta. Lavarnway added a two-run shot in the eighth for his first multihomer game since hitting two for Boston on Sept. 27, 2011.
TRAINER'S ROOM
St. Louis Cardinals' Andrew Knizner (7) is safe at second base with a double as Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett falls backward while taking the throw during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoGary Landers)
Cardinals: OF Marcell Ozuna can resume baseball activities after the swelling in his injured right hand decreased and he went through an encouraging workout on Thursday at Busch Stadium. He's been out since June 29 with hand and finger fractures. . The Cardinals hope INF Matt Carpenter can start a minor league rehab assignment sometime in the next week. Carpenter went on the 10-day IL on June 16 with a right foot contusion.
Reds: LHP Alex Wood, out all season with lower back problems, is scheduled to throw a bullpen in Cincinnati on Saturday to get ready for his fourth rehab start on Monday for Double-A Chattanooga at Birmingham.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: The Reds roughed up RHP Miles Mikolas (6-9) for six hits, including three home runs, and four runs in five innings of a 12-1 St. Louis loss on April 26.
Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (9-3) pitching six innings of two-hit, one-run ball in a 4-1 Cincinnati win at St. Louis on June 4.
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