Dunn's slam powers Reds over Cardinals

Sep 12, 2007, 2:21 GMT

Cincinnati, OH - Adam Dunn hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the third inning, as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-2, in the opener of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park

Reds starter Matt Belisle (8-8) pitched seven strong innings to pick up the win, yielding two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Cincinnati halted a four-game losing streak to St. Louis

David Eckstein and Ryan Ludwick each homered for the slumping Cardinals, who have lost five straight.

Mark Mulder (0-2), in his just his second start of the season, was tagged for seven hits and seven runs -- five earned -- over four innings of work. The left-hander underwent left rotator cuff surgery last September.

After Eckstein's home run to start the game, Dunn's blast in the second tied things up before Cincinnati blew the game open with six runs in the third -- thanks in large part to Dunn's grand slam.

Jeff Keppinger flied out to start the third, but the Reds loaded the bases on a pair of walks sandwiching a Ken Griffey Jr. double off the glove of Rick Ankiel. Dunn then stepped to the plate and crushed an 0-1 pitch over the center field wall for his second home run in as many innings to make it 5-1.

The blast gave Dunn his sixth-career grand slam and put him over 100 RBI for the third time in his career.

Then, with two outs and runners on first and second later in the inning, Ankiel dropped Belisle's fly ball to the warning track as two runs crossed home plate.

Ludwick hit his 12th home run of the season in the fourth to bring St. Louis back within five runs, but the Cardinals couldn't mount a serious comeback.

Game Notes

Belisle improved to 3-0 over his last six starts...It was Dunn's 20th multi- home run game of his career...St. Louis announced before the game that third baseman Scott Rolen had surgery on Tuesday to repair his injured left shoulder. Rolen had the surgery performed in Cincinnati for the removal of scar tissue, a bursectomy and a manipulation of his non-throwing shoulder. He will begin a rehabilitation program and it is anticipated that he will make a complete recovery in time for spring training in 2008.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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