"That Chris Carpenter dominates the Reds is undeniable.

Why he's so much more effective against Cincinnati than he is against almost every other team is less clear.

The 36-year-old right-hander was scheduled to start today's series finale for the Cardinals against the Reds at Great American Ball Park, and if any of the weekend's games shaped up as a sure win for the visitors, it was today's.

Since starting the National League portion of his career with St. Louis in 2004, the 6-foot-6, 233-pound Carpenter has logged an impressive 12-3 record and 2.07 ERA in 19 starts against the Reds.

That includes his 5-0, 1.76 effort over five starts last season, when he extended to 10 his streak of consecutive winning starts against Cincinnati.

That streak was snapped with Cincinnati's 5-3 win on April 23 at St. Louis, but Carpenter still escaped without a decision.

He's not at the level of Roy Oswalt or Tom Glavine just yet, but he's getting there. Glavine retired with a 27-12 record and 3.45 ERA in 50 career starts for the Braves and Mets against the Reds. Oswalt, the former Astro now pitching for Philadelphia, is 23-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 34 games, including 32 starts, against Cincinnati."