BALTIMORE _ Empathy doesn't go as far as homers.
Against a team that is struggling like themselves, searching like themselves, wondering like themselves, and yes carrying an avian mascot like themselves, the Cardinals had plenty in common with Baltimore when the game started Friday night at Oriole Park. By the end, the Cardinals had widened the gap.
With a season-high five home runs from the lineup and three hits from rookie Paul DeJong the Cardinals bombarded Baltimore in an 11-2 victory.
Five Cardinals had home runs, including Jedd Gyorko's blast to lead off the ninth inning and Tommy Pham's two-run shot in the seventh inning. DeJong, Matt Carpenter, and Dexter Fowler added the other home runs.
DeJong, batting ninth in the American League ballpark, became the first Cardinals' No. 9 hitter with three hits, three runs, and three RBIs in the same game since Bob Gibson did it. Dizzy Dean was the only other Cardinal No. 9 hitter with as many hits, runs, and RBIs since 1913. All DeJong was missing was the whole pitching thing the other two did.
Carlos Martinez handled that with aplomb.
The Cardinals right-hander struck out eight and held the Orioles to one run on four hits through his six innings.
The Cardinals stopped a three-game losing streak. The Orioles lost for the eighth time in nine games.
