Updated

On the cusp of being swept and losing even more precious ground in the NL Central division race, the Cincinnati Reds brought out the lumber against Adam Wainwright.

And early.

The Reds roughed up the St. Louis ace for a career-high nine runs over just two innings in their 10-0 triumph over the Cardinals in the finale of a three-game set.

Jay Bruce smacked a three-run homer and drove in five for the Reds, who jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the opening frame. Homer Bailey (9-10) fanned seven and gave up just five hits and two walks over 7 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win.

Cincinnati moved within 3 1/2 games of the Cardinals for the top spot in the division.

Wainwright (15-8), who hurled a season-high 128 pitches to notch his fifth complete game of the season and 16th of his career last time out against the Atlanta Braves, was looking for his NL-leading 16th win.

The 31-year-old righty, though, surrendered eight hits and two walks in the abbreviated outing. It was the first time Wainwright allowed six earned runs all season. He had only yielded eight earned runs in August coming into the contest.

The Reds tallied six hits in the opening frame.

Consecutive singles by Shin-Soo Choo and Brandon Phillips preceded Joey Votto's walk to load the bases for Bruce, who brought home a pair with a single to right-center.

Ryan Ludwick followed with a double to plate Votto and put runners on second and third before Bruce scored on Todd Frazier's RBI groundout. Ludwick came across on a wild pitch and Frazier came home two batters later on Bailey's single to center to cap the first-inning scoring.

Bruce cracked a no-doubt, three-run shot deep into the seats in right-center in the second to make it 9-0.

Chris Heisey's leadoff blast in the ninth concluded the scoring.

Game Notes

Bruce has 26 homers and 87 RBI this season ... Zack Cozart tallied three hits for Cincinnati ... The Reds were 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position ... The Cardinals' Michael Wacha fanned seven and permitted just three hits and a walk over four scoreless innings in replace of Wainwright.