ST. LOUIS – Chris Carpenter is 7-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his last eight starts, and hungry for more dominant outings. He hopes a new workout routine will help him stay sharp the rest of the way.
Carpenter beat the Cincinnati Reds for the third consecutive time, and Albert Pujols homered for the second straight game in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 5-2 victory Wednesday night.
An elbow nerve problem ended Carpenter’s season early in 2008, so he’s worked on strength while backing off on throwing.
“We’ve done a few things the last few weeks, just playing around with exercises,” Carpenter said. “The whole thing that happened last year, we’re trying to find a way to continue to keep everything strong.”
The first four hitters in the St. Louis lineup had at least two hits, with Matt Holliday going 3 for 4 and contributing an RBI double to a three-run first.
Pujols hit his major league-leading 38th homer in the third.
BRAVES 6, NATIONALS 2: Adam LaRoche gave host Atlanta the lead with a seventh-inning homer, his second of the game, in a win over Washington.
Garret Anderson and Martin Prado also hit homers for the Braves, who have won five straight.
Derek Lowe (12-7) gave up only two runs on seven hits and four walks in seven innings.
GIANTS 4, DODGERS 2, 10 inn.: Juan Uribe hit a game-ending two-run homer as San Francisco avoided a three-game sweep by visiting Los Angeles.
Brian Wilson (4-5) pitched 1 1/3 innings with four strikeouts for the win on a wild day in which the benches cleared and both Giants manager Bruce Bochy and bench coach – and acting manager – Ron Wotus were ejected in separate arguments.
METS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4: Cory Sullivan tripled twice and Gary Sheffield had two singles in his return to the lineup, helping New York in Phoenix and avoid a three-game sweep.
Fernando Tatis had three singles, driving in one run and scoring another, for the Mets, who scored twice on wild pitches.
Diamondbacks reliever Jon Rauch and manager A.J. Hinch were thrown out of the game for arguing by plate umpire Mike Everitt after the Mets scored twice with two outs in eighth to take the lead.
ASTROS 14, MARLINS 6: Hunter Pence hit a pair of three-run homers for a career-high six RBI, powering Houston in Miami.
Pence’s home runs highlighted a five-run first inning and a seven-run fourth that chased Ricky Nolasco (8-8). Florida had won five in a row.
PADRES 6, BREWERS 5: Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead double in a four-run seventh inning and visiting San Diego held on to beat struggling Milwaukee.
ROCKIES 8, PIRATES 0: Ubaldo Jimenez pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and Carlos Gonzalez homered early, sending host Colorado over Pittsburgh.
Jimenez became the fourth member of the Rockies’ rotation with double-digit victories.
