Martinez delivers 8 strong innings in Cards' victory over NY Mets

ST. LOUIS -- Randal Grichuk and the St. Louis Cardinals love when Carlos Martinez pitches.

Martinez allowed one run over eight innings and Grichuk, Matt Carpenter and Stephen Piscotty all homered off Mets starter Jacob deGrom, powering the Cardinals past New York 8-1 on Wednesday night.

"He can throw 99 with sink or 89 with even more sink," Grichuk said of Martinez. "We feed off him. It's lot of fun playing behind him."

The Cardinals, who won for the seventh time in nine games, posted a season high-tying 19 hits. They had eight players with two or more hits, including Martinez. Piscotty and Yadier Molina each had three hits.

"It's fun to watch them put up crooked numbers in any inning, even against a quality pitcher like deGrom," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "When you throw up 19 hits and get (RBIs) from six different guys, that's a great overall effort. We had a bunch of hits but not a lot of runs early, but Stephen helped with that home run."

Martinez (12-7) gave up four hits and got his second straight victory.

"I love how starting pitching set the tone," Matheny said. "It was almost a continuation of his last outing. He's understanding it's about location and movement. He can throw anything at any time."

Martinez allowed one run on three hits in seven innings against Houston his last time out.

"These last two outings I feel have been one of my best," Martinez said through a translator. "I've been really listening to Yadi and his advice has been really great and I feel really good about myself right now."

Roughed up for the second straight start, deGrom (7-7) allowed five runs on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings. He was tagged for a career-worst eight runs and 13 hits in his previous outing against San Francisco.

"I feel fine," deGrom said. "It's hard to get results when you throw everything right down the middle. That's what it is. I'm missing down the middle and these are big league hitters and that's what they do."

Carpenter was back in the leadoff spot after several games hitting third. His 16th homer was his third leadoff homer of the season.

Jay Bruce led off the Mets second with a double but had to leave because of a cramp in his right calf. Pinch-runner Alejandro De Aza scored on a double by Asdrubal Cabrera.

"He's got a tight calf," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Bruce. "His calf knotted up when he was actually jogging out to right field in the first inning. When he came in he told me right away, he said, 'I'm gonna try to hit and see if it loosens up.'

"When he went into second base I looked out and he didn't give me the OK, so I went out and checked and he said it's really tight. I couldn't afford to have him blow it out so I took him out."

Piscotty drove in the go-ahead run in the third with an infield single. Grichuk, who had doubled earlier, hit his 17th homer in the fourth. Piscotty connected for his 19th homer, a two-run drive, in the fifth.

Greg Garcia and Molina later had RBI singles.

Roster move

The Mets made a roster move after the game, optioning right-hander Erik Goeddel to Triple-A Las Vegas and recalling left-hander Sean Gilmartin.

Notable

Mets reliever Robert Gsellman is the first pitcher in the modern era to earn a victory in his major league debut as a reliever since John Montefusco on Sept. 3, 1974 with the Giants.

Trainer's room

Mets: Jon Niese (left knee) may undergo surgery after lasting just one-third of an inning on Tuesday.

Cardinals: Lance Lynn, coming off reconstructive elbow surgery last November, made his third rehab start Wednesday at Double-A Springfield. There's a chance the right-hander could help in the bullpen before the season ends.

Up next

Mets: Seth Lugo (0-2, 3.04) makes his second start in place of injury Steven Matz (left shoulder tightness), who could return late this month.

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (9-7, 4.71) allowed four home runs in 6 2/3 innings July 27 and got a no decision in his lone appearance against the Mets this season.