Cardinals 4, Reds 0: Adam Wainwright pitched eight superb innings and matched his career high with 12 strikeouts as visiting St. Louis downed Cincinnati.

Allen Craig, Tony Cruz and Kolten Wong each had two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals, who took two of three in the series. Matt Adams and Matt Carpenter also recorded two hits apiece as St. Louis won for the ninth time in the last 11 games.

Wainwright (8-2) gave up five hits and one walk while striking out 12 for the fifth time in his career. The right-hander didn’t allow a run for the sixth time this season, and the strong outing followed a one-hitter against Arizona in his previous turn.

Wong delivered a run-scoring single in the third against Mike Leake (2-4) to give the Cardinals the early lead. St. Louis tacked on another run in the sixth, when Adams led off with a single and came around on Cruz’s two-out single.

Matt Holliday’s infield tapper in the seventh plated a run to increase the lead to 3-0, and he scored later in the inning on Craig’s single to center. Wainwright, who was removed after 117 pitches, hasn’t allowed a run in 15 innings against the Reds this season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: St. Louis SS Jhonny Peralta was hitless in 12 at-bats in the series and is 1-for-31 against Cincinnati this season. … Leake allowed two runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts in six innings. … Cardinals OF Peter Bourjos missed his second straight game due to a stomach virus.