Carpenter ties Cards' mark with leadoff jack

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter tied a franchise record for leadoff home runs in a season when he launched his fifth off Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani in Sunday's 6-4 win in the series finale at Busch Stadium.
Carpenter's five leadoff homers matched his own mark from 2015, as well as Lou Brock in 1967 and '70, and Ray Lankford in '94.
That homer -- which traveled a projected 407 feet, according to Statcast™ -- also put Carpenter one shy of Brock's franchise record of 21 career leadoff homers.
"I don't think about it," Carpenter said. "Any time you're mentioned with Lou Brock it's cool, but I don't think about it."
Carpenter's jack -- his 19th of the season -- had an exit velocity of 104.7 mph and a launch angle of 30 degrees, according to Statcast™. It was Carpenter's second leadoff homer in two games after going deep against Luis Castillo in Saturday night's 8-2 loss to the Reds.

Dexter Fowler homered in the second inning to give the Cardinals a quick 2-0 lead.