CINCINNATI — Chris Carpenter took it upon himself to get the Cardinals back on track.

The St. Louis ace hit a grand slam and set a team record for pitchers by driving in six runs as the Cardinals rolled to a 13-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

‘‘That was one of the funner days I’ve ever had,’’ Carpenter said.

Carpenter’s first career homer capped a five-run second inning for the Cardinals, who had lost five of six — including three straight since clinching the NL Central title with a win at Colorado last Saturday. He added a two-run double during a four-run fifth to match the career RBI total he brought into the game.

The right-hander also threw five innings of three-hit ball for his 17th win and first in four starts since a 3-0, complete-game victory at Milwaukee on Sept. 7.

Carpenter’s grand slam was the 10th by a Cardinals pitcher and first since Kent Mercker connected at Florida on Sept. 2, 1998.

The previous major league pitcher to hit a grand slam was Jason Marquis for the Chicago Cubs off New York Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese on Sept. 22, 2008, at Shea Stadium, according to STATS LLC.

The last pitcher to have six RBIs in a game was Micah Owings for Arizona at Atlanta on Aug. 18, 2007, STATS said. Owings now pitches for the Reds.

Carpenter predicted his homer, manager Tony La Russa said.

‘‘I’ve predicted it four or five times,’’ Carpenter said. ‘‘I think the only other home run I hit had to be in high school. I was a really good hitter, I guess, but I grew up in New Hampshire, and we didn’t see many 90 mph fastballs.’’

Carpenter became the first Cardinals pitcher since 1920, when RBIs became an official statistic, to have six in one game. Bob Gibson drove in five runs during a 13-1 win over the New York Mets on July 26, 1973.

Reds’ boxscore

Thursday’s Game

Cardinals 13, Reds 0

St. Louis Cincinnati

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Schmkr 2b-lf 4 0 1 0 Stubbs cf 4 0 1 0

KGreen ph 1 0 0 0 RRmrz p 0 0 0 0

Thurstn lf 0 0 0 0 Herrer p 0 0 0 0

Rasms cf 5 1 1 0 Sutton ss 2 0 0 0

Pujols 1b 3 1 0 0 Fisher p 0 0 0 0

Motte p 0 0 0 0 DMcDn cf 1 0 0 0

McCllln p 0 0 0 0 Votto 1b 2 0 0 0

Pagnzz ph-1b 1 0 0 0 Barker ph-1b 1 0 0 0

Hollidy lf 3 1 1 0 BPhllps 2b 4 0 0 0

Hwksw p 0 0 0 0 Janish ss 0 0 0 0

Freese ph-1b 2 0 1 1 Rolen 3b 1 0 1 0

TMiller p 0 0 0 0 JFrncs ph-3b 1 0 0 0

Ankiel rf 5 3 2 0 Bruce rf 4 0 0 0

Glaus 3b 5 2 2 2 Gomes lf 2 0 0 0

YMolin c 3 2 2 1 Dickrsn lf 2 0 0 0

LaRue c 2 0 1 2 CMiller c 2 0 0 0

BrRyan ss 3 2 1 1 Viola p 0 0 0 0

TGreen ss 1 0 1 0 ARosls ss-2b 2 0 2 0

Crpntr p 3 1 2 6 K.Wells p 0 0 0 0

Lugo 2b 1 0 0 0 Owings p 1 0 1 0

Hanign c 3 0 0 0

Totals 42 13 15 13 Totals 32 0 5 0

St. Louis 050 043 001 — 13

Cincinnati 000 000 000 — 0

E—Br.Ryan (9). LOB—St. Louis 10, Cincinnati 9. 2B—Ankiel (21), Glaus (2), C.Carpenter (3), Owings (4). HR—C.Carpenter (1).

IP H R ER BB SO

St. Louis

C.Carpenter W,17-4 5 3 0 0 1 6

Hawksworth 1 0 0 0 1 0

Motte 1 1 0 0 0 1

McClellan 1 0 0 0 0 0

T.Miller 1 1 0 0 0 1

Cincinnati

K.Wells L,2-5 2 5 5 5 1 1

Owings 2 2-3 3 4 4 3 1

Viola 2-3 0 0 0 0 1

Fisher 1 2-3 5 3 3 2 2

R.Ramirez 1 1 0 0 0 0

Herrera 1 1 1 1 1 1

K.Wells pitched to 2 batters in the 3rd. HBP—by T.Miller (J.Francisco), by C.Carpenter (Rolen), by K.Wells (Br.Ryan). Umpires—Home, Brian O’Nora; First, Adrian Johnson; Second, Gary Cederstrom; Third, Fieldin Culbreth. T—3:25. A—11,861 (42,319).