Cards' Carpenter hits 3 HRs, 2 doubles in 6 innings, exits
CHICAGO (AP) Matt Carpenter hit three home runs and two doubles in just six innings for the St. Louis Cardinals, then was pulled from the game against the Chicago Cubs.
Carpenter went 5 for 5 and drove in seven runs at Wrigley Field on Friday before exiting with the Cardinals leading 15-1.
The St. Louis leadoff man has homered in four straight games. During that stretch, he is 9 for 16 with six home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs.
Carpenter led off the game with a home run with a home run against Jon Lester. It was his team-record sixth leadoff homer of the season and the 21st of his career, matching the club mark held by Hall of Famer Lou Brock.
Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Lester. Carpenter doubled twice in the fourth and hit a three-run drive off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth.