Early homers lead Cardinals over Reds 10-0

[June 12, 2008]  CINCINNATI (AP) -- Rick Ankiel and Jason LaRue homered off wild Johnny Cueto, and Braden Looper pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout Wednesday night, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Ryan Ludwick also homered for the Cardinals, who moved a season-high 13 games over .500 with their fourth straight victory.

Looper (8-5) stayed in his up-and-down pattern, alternating losses and wins in his last six starts. The Reds got only two runners into scoring position against the reliever-turned-starter, who hadn't gone more than 8 1-3 innings in any of his 43 previous starts.

The last-place Reds did a little bit of everything wrong in their most lopsided loss of the season. Even impressive rookie Jay Bruce dropped a fly ball for his first error, letting in a run.

Cueto (5-6) couldn't get his pitches over the plate. He walked eight in only five innings, the most by a Reds pitcher since left-hander Steve Avery walked nine Diamondbacks on June 29, 1999.

The Cardinals have kept winning -- 10 of their last 13 -- despite injuries that thinned the rotation and the lineup. They got their latest bad news on Wednesday: Albert Pujols will be out for at least three weeks with a strained left calf.

With their top hitter gone, the Cardinals will have to do more of what they did against Cueto.

The 22-year-old rookie has been wildly inconsistent. He'll either dominate hitters with a well-placed 94 mph fastball, or leave it right down the middle. The Cardinals made him look like a rookie for the second time this season.

They provided his previous worst moment in the majors on April 29, scoring seven runs in a 7-2 win. Cueto managed to retire only five batters before his quickest-ever exit.

Not a whole lot better this time around.

St. Louis had three walks and a pair of homers in the first inning. Ankiel hit a three-run homer, his second in two games since returning from a knee infection. LaRue added a two-run shot, his first homer since July 31.

Cueto kept himself in constant trouble with the eight walks, the most by a Reds right-hander since Bruce Berenyi walked eight Giants on April 17, 1982.

Ludwick doubled home a run in the fourth for a 6-0 lead and later added his career-high 16th homer, his second in two games, as the Cardinals pulled away.

Notes: RHP Adam Wainwright went on the DL with a sprained finger on his pitching hand. The Cardinals are expected to put Pujols on the DL on Thursday and activate pitcher Joel Pineiro, who will start the final game of the series. ... LH Mark Mulder will begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Double-A Springfield. Mulder has been trying to come back from shoulder surgery. ... Cueto has given up at least one homer in 11 of his 14 starts. ... Jolbert Cabrera started at 2B for the Reds, who gave Brandon Phillips a day of rest. It was Cabrera's first appearance in the majors since Oct. 3, 2004 for Seattle.

[Associated Press; By JOE KAY]

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