Pujols slam lifts Cardinals over Reds

CINCINNATI – Albert Pujols hit his club-record fourth grand slam of the season, setting up the St. Louis Cardinals’ 7-4 win over the Cincinnatti Reds in the National League on Friday.

Jarrett Hoffpauir drove in the go-ahead runs in the ninth inning with his first career hit. Hoffpauir, playing his first major league game after being called up from the Memphis Redbirds, capitalized on a shortstop error with two outs, hitting a bases-loaded single to snap a 4-4 tie.

The win gave the Cardinals sole possession of first place in the NL Central, a game ahead of Milwaukee.

Pujols gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead in the eighth with his 10th career slam, also a team record, but the Reds tied it in the bottom of the inning. Pujols, who leads the majors with 31 home runs and 82 RBIs, added an RBI double in the ninth.

In Chicago, Jake Fox drew a bases-loaded walk from Mark DiFelice to force in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning as Chicago pipped Milwaukee, 2-1.

With one out in the bottom of the 10th, Ryan Theriot singled, then went to second on a wild pitch from DiFelice. After Theriot moved up on a fly ball, DiFelice walked the next two batters to load the bases.

Fox fouled off four straight pitches before walking on a close 3-2 pitch that was called a ball, but which DiFelice argued was a strike.

In Philadelphia, the hosts snapped a six-game home losing streak by downing divisional rival New York, 7-2.

Phillies pitcher Rodrigo Lopez took a shutout into the seventh inning in his first outing in two years. He hadn’t pitched in the majors since having elbow ligament replacement surgery 23 months ago.

In Miami, Brandon Moss and Ramon Vazquez homered to help Pittsburgh overcome Florida, 7-4.

Pirates starter Charlie Morton pitched six shutout innings as Pittsburgh beat the Marlins for the fourth straight time.

In Denver, Jorge De La Rosa pitched eight innings as Colorado shut out Arizona, 5-0.

Ian Stewart hit a solo homer for the Rockies, who have won a season-best six straight home games.

De La Rosa, who has never had a complete game, won for the fifth time in six starts, striking out six.

The Diamondbacks, who added to their majors-worst errors tally with another three mistakes, lost for the eighth time in nine games.

In Washington, Atlanta won its season-high fifth straight, sneaking past lowly Washington, 9-8.

Pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning. It was the first career homer for Conrad, a 29-year-old rookie. (AP)