Cardinals' Martinez shuts down Pirates, 4-1

PITTSBURGH -- Carlos Martinez made his case for inclusion on the National League All-Star team Thursday night by pitching 7 1/3 scoreless innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 in a matchup between the teams with the best records in the major leagues.

Martinez (10-3) scattered four hits while striking out five and walking three in improving to 7-1 with a 1.20 ERA in his last 10 starts.

The right-hander is one of the five players contending for the NL's All-Star Final Vote. Fan voting ends this afternoon, and the game will be played Tuesday at Cincinnati.

St. Louis (56-31) opened a 5 1/2-game lead on the Pirates in the NL Central. Pittsburgh (50-35) had its five-game winning streak snapped in the opener of a four-game series.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Gregory Polanco, foreground, heads home as St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter, center, throws to the plate after Pirates' Neil Walker, right, was forced out at second on a ground ball by Andrew McCutchen during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 9, 2015, in Pittsburgh. Polanco was out. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

The Cardinals did their scoring in the fifth inning on two-run singles by Matt Carpenter -- with one out -- and Yadier Molina an out later. Both hits were off Jeff Locke (5-5). Only one of the runs was earned because shortstop Jordy Mercer booted pinch-hitter Kolten Wong's grounder for an error with none out.

Carpenter and Molina finished with two hits each.

Andrew McCutchen kept the Pirates from being shut out as he hit a 443-foot home run, his 11th, to center field off Seth Maness to lead off the ninth inning. That extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games.

Trevor Rosenthal retired the next three hitters for his 26th save in 27 opportunities.

Locke was pulled for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth. He allowed five hits, struck out five and walked three after giving up two earned runs or fewer in each of his previous five starts.

Trainer's room

Cardinals: Wong stayed in the game to play the final four innings at second base in his first action since sustaining a mild concussion Tuesday. ... RF Matt Holliday, who has been on the disabled list since June 9 with a strained right quadriceps, might be activated today. Manager Mike Matheny said Holliday would be limited to pinch hitting until after the All-Star break.

Pirates: LF Starling Marte did not start for a fourth straight game because of a strained left oblique muscle. He underwent a full pregame workout for the second day in a row but is still day to day.

Up next

Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (6-4, 2.53 ERA) faces RHP Gerrit Cole (12-3, 2.28) tonight. Cole leads the major leagues in wins. Lynn is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his last six starts.