Cardinals win in interim manager Shildt's debut
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler homered to give interim manager Mike Shildt a win in his first game as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 on Sunday.
Shildt took over for Mike Matheny, who was fired late Saturday after six-plus seasons at the helm.
Tommy Pham broke out of a 0-for-20 slump with a two-run, go-ahead single for the Cardinals, who snapped a six-game home losing skid.
Cincinnati, which had won four of five, is 35-26 since beginning the season 8-27.
John Gant (3-3) picked up the win with four hitless innings of relief. He struck out four and walked two.
Carpenter began the game with a first-pitch homer, his fifth leadoff home run of the season and 20th of his career. Fowler added a solo shot in the second off Anthony DeSclafani (4-2) for a 2-0 lead.
Pham erased a 3-2 deficit with a two-run single that highlighted a four-run outburst in the fourth. It was Pham's first hit since July 5. He entered the game in the second inning after starter Harrison Bader left with a knee injury.
Adam Duvall tied the game for the Reds with a two-run, bases-loaded single in the fourth. Jose Peraza then put his team in front with a single off the leg of starter Miles Mikolas.
DeSclafani alowed six earned run on five hits over 3 1-3 innings.
Mikolas, who is headed to the All-Star game, surrendered three runs on six hits over four innings in his shortest outing of the season.
Matheny was dismissed after Saturday's 8-2 loss. He fashioned a 591-474 mark in six-plus seasons. The Cardinals made the playoffs in each of his first four seasons but failed to reach the postseason in the last two.
A Gold Glove catcher, Matheny played for the Cardinals from 2000-04.
Reds outfielder Jesse Winker extended his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games with a third-inning single.
TRAINER'S ROOM:
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey allowed four earned runs in six innings of a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Friday. Bailey is 1-2 with a 5.87 ERA in six minor league appearances. He was put on the disabled list June 2 with right knee inflammation.
Cardinals: OF Harrison Bader left the game in the second inning after suffering a knee injury while running out a hit to right field.
UP NEXT
Reds: Cincinnati begins the second half on Friday against Pittsburgh. Right-hander Tyler Mahle (7-7, 4.02) will get the start.
Cardinals: St. Louis travels to Chicago for a four-game series against the Cubs after the break.
