Long drought over for Stephenson

ST. LOUIS -- After winning 16 games in 2000, Garrett Stephenson waited 20 months for the next victory.

Stephenson allowed a run in five innings on Sunday and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-1.

"It feels like a really long time," Stephenson said. "You've got to get your first win before you get your second.

"I'll just keep going out there and busting my tail and let these guys play defense behind me and quit walking so many people -- I hate walking people," he said.

Stephenson (1-2) overcame a rocky start in his second start since coming off the disabled list from a lower back strain, winning for the first time since Sept. 11, 2000. He gave up a home run to Barry Larkin to lead off the game and walked three the first two innings.

Stephenson got a visit from pitching coach Dave Duncan in the first and did a lot of stretching in the dugout between the first and second innings, and seemed to loosen up the rest of his stint. He allowed four hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

"You could tell he was really struggling to find it," manager Tony La Russa said. "We were just looking for a key to get him in a groove. A lineup like that, they make you pay if you're not sharp."

Stephenson missed all of last year after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery. This was Stephenson's fifth start of the season.

Eli Marrero and Tino Martinez hit three-run homers for the Cardinals, who have won eight of 10 and are 5-1 so far on a 10-game homestand. The Reds have won five of seven.

"I know they have a good ballclub," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "Houston does and I think we do, but you never know."

Marrero's second homer capped a four-run fourth against Jose Acevedo (4-2). Jim Edmonds started the inning with a single, Martinez was hit by a pitch and Edgar Renteria singled to load the bases and Kerry Robinson beat out the relay to first on a double play ball for the first run.

Martinez hiked his average to .214 with a 2-for-4 day.

"I never lost my confidence," Martinez said. "Right now with my average, I'm just taking it day by day and I'll try to hit better month to month instead of looking back at what I haven't done."

Edmonds added an RBI single off the base of the right-field wall for a 5-1 lead in the fifth.

Martinez hit his fifth homer, and second in as many days, off Scott Sullivan in the seventh for an 8-1 lead.

Placido Polanco added a two-run homer, his first since July 27, 2001.

Acevedo lasted 4 1-3 innings, giving up five runs on six hits in his second start for the Reds since being recalled from Triple-A Louisville on May 7. The last two seasons, he's 0-3 against the Cardinals with a 12.40 ERA.

"His velocity was good, but he's lost the feel of putting the ball where he wants to," catcher Corky Miller said. "He's had poor location with his fastball the last couple of times out."