The Cardinals lost to the Reds 7-6 Wednesday afternoon after trailing 7-0 early on. Cincinnati got to St. Louis starter Mark Mulder when former Royals third baseman Joe Randa drove in a run with a single in the first. The Reds scored three more times in the second inning thanks to Adam Dunn, Rich Aurilia and Ken Griffey who drove in runs. Dunn did so with his 19th homer of the year. Griffey drove in two runs with a double.
Dunn made it 6-0 in the third inning with his 20th long ball, and Aurilia gave Cincinnati a 7-0 lead with an RBI single. An inning later Mulder (8-5) was knocked out of the game. He has just one win since May 25.
The Cardinals battled back with three runs in the fifth inning, as Mark Grudzielanek hit a solo home run, David Eckstein grounded in a run and Jim Edmonds drove in a run with a single to make it 7-3.
St. Louis added three more runs in the eighth with Albert Pujols’ RBI single and a throwing error by Reds’ shortstop Felipe Lopez, which allowed Edmonds and Pujols to score. Grudzielanek and Abraham Nunez ended the rally with a fly out and a grounder.
In the ninth John Mabry singled with one out, but he was out at second on a David Eckstein grounder and Edmonds struck out to end the game.
The Cardinals lost two of three games in Cincinnati
Outfielder Larry Walker will have an MRI on his neck. Team doctor Barry Weinberg says he his “slightly herniated”. Walker is having trouble turning his neck.
