Carpenter ties record in Cardinals’ romp

CHICAGO — Matt Carpenter hit three home runs and two doubles in just six innings, tying the major league record for extra-base hits in a game, and the St. Louis Cardinals hammered the Chicago Cubs 18-5 on Friday.

Carpenter went 5 for 5 and drove in seven runs at Wrigley Field. He led off the game with a home run and was pulled after adding a three-run drive in the sixth. He became the 14th player with five extra-base hits in a game, and the first to do it for the Cardinals.

Trailing 15-1 after Carpenter's third homer, the Cubs used three position players to pitch the rest of the way — infielder Tommy La Stella, backup catcher Victor Caratini and versatile Ian Happ. La Stella and Caratini gave up homers as the Cubs became the first team since the 1979 Milwaukee Brewers to use three position players on the mound in a game.

Carpenter joined Cubs star Kris Bryant as the only players in the majors to hit three home runs and two Spectators run through a downpour during a rain delay before a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The start of the game was delayed for nearly three hours and had not ended in time for this edition. For the result, see Dispatch.com. doubles in a game. Carpenter has homered in four straight games. During that stretch, he is 9 for 16 with six home runs, three doubles and 10 RBI.

Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Jon Lester (12-3). Carpenter doubled twice in the fourth and hit a three-run drive, his 23rd this year, off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth.

BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 5: Stephen Strasburg was batted around by visiting Atlanta, then engaged in a heated spat with Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the dugout during Washington's loss. It was unclear what prompted the exchange between the star pitchers in their first game after the All-Star break. The dispute occurred after Strasburg (6-7), activated from the 10-day disabled list earlier in the day and throwing on his 30th birthday, gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. PHILLIES 11, PADRES 5: Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer in a six-run second inning

and host Philadelphia overcame a four-run first-inning deficit to beat San Diego. The Phillies remained a halfgame ahead of Atlanta for first in the National League East with their 13th win in 19 games. MARINERS MANAGER EXTENDED: The Seattle Mariners signed manager Scott Servais to a multiyear contract extension as the club opened the second half of the season in position to potentially end the longest current playoff drought in the four major pro sports, which dates to 2001.