Albert Pujols wasted no time in filling his stat columns for 2010. The first baseman was 4-5 with two home runs and three RBIs to lead the Cardinals (1-0) to an 11-6 season-opening victory over the Reds (0-1) at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati Monday afternoon.
Six home runs were hit in the game — four by the Cardinals, including a grand slam by Yadier Molina in the ninth inning that put the game out of reach.
Pujols' first homer was a solo shot in the top of the first off Reds starter Aaron Harang, and his second was a two-run shot in the seventh off Mike Lincoln that gave the Cardinals a 6-2 lead. In between, Colby Rasmus homered for the Cardinals off Harang and Ryan Ludwick scored on a David Freese single in the fourth.
The Reds got solo homers from Joey Votto (3-5, RBI) and Scott Rolen off St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter in their half of the fourth, and inched to within 6-4 by scoring a run in the seventh and a run in the eighth.
Any hope of a Reds comeback was dashed in the top of the ninth when Molina connected on a Nick Masset offering, but the home team scored twice in the bottom half on a Brandon Phillips double.
Carpenter (1-0) picked up the win. He allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. Harang took the loss. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in five innings.