Scott Rolen is greeted by Dusty Baker after his three-run homer in the first.  UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Scott Rolen is greeted by Dusty Baker after his three-run homer in the first. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

P.J. Walters struggled in his first major league start, allowing three home runs, including two of them from former Cardinal Scott Rolen, yet the Cardinals still had a chance to win, but came up short losing 9-8 to the Reds and falling back out of first place by one game in the NL Central.

Rolen got the Reds on the board with a three run homer in the first inning, but the Cardinals scored three in the bottom of the inning off Reds’ starter Johnny Cueto who had won his last five decision with an ERA of 1.00 in that span. Cueto had also won his last five decisions against the Cardinals. Colby Rasmus hit a two run shot in the first inning.

Rolen struck again in the third with a solo shot and Joey Votto added a solo homer to put the Reds up 5-3 off Walters.

PJ Walters talks about the game

Then Cincinnati added two more in the fourth to go up 7-3. John Jay hit his first Major League home run in the fourth to pull the Cards to 7-4 and then briefly took the lead with a four-run sixth inning, powered by a Brendan Ryan double.

Dennys Reyes allowed three singles in the seventh inning and Blake Hawksworth allowed a sacrifice fly to allow Cincinnati to score two runs to go up 9-8 charging two runs to Reyes and handing him his second blown save of the season.

Tony LaRussa on his team’s effort, not bunting in the 9th and on Scott Rolen