Moss, Cruz hit HRs to lead Cardinals past D-backs 5-3

PHOENIX -- Brandon Moss hit his first home run with St. Louis and Tony Cruz hit his first of the season, leading the Cardinals to a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night to complete a four-game sweep.

It was the Cardinals' fifth straight win overall and they finished 7-0 against the Diamondbacks this season.

Moss's tiebreaking two-run shot in the fifth inning put the Cardinals ahead 5-3.

Carlos Martinez (13-6) earned the win with six innings of four-hit ball, allowing three runs and striking out six with two walks.

The Diamondbacks loaded the bases on three walks issued by Cardinals reliever Steve Cishek to open the bottom of eighth, but Seth Maness struck out David Peralta, Welington Castillo and got Jake Lamb to roll out to first to end the threat.

Trevor Rosenthal got the last three outs for his 41st save as the Cardinals improved to a season-high 37 games above .500 (82-45).

Rubby De La Rosa (11-6) gave up all five runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out four and waked four in his first loss since July 12.

De La Rosa threw eight balls on the first nine pitches of the game, and Kolten Wong followed with an RBI double to put the Cardinals ahead 1-0.

Cruz's homer and Matt Carpenter's RBI double in the second stretched St. Louis' lead to 3-0.

The Diamondbacks tied in the bottom of the third on Lamb's RBI single and Ender Inciarte's two-out, two-run single off Wong's glove.

Gold star defense

The Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt prevented a run from scoring in the first inning when he made a diving stop of a hard one-hopper to first base by Moss. Goldschmidt underhanded to De La Rosa for the final out of the inning.

The Cardinals' Greg Garcia went to the ground to catch a line drive and take a hit away from Arizona's A.J. Pollock with two outs in the second inning, also preventing at least one run.

Long review

A replay review in the second inning that came after Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale challenged a safe call at second base on a sacrifice bunt lasted 4 minutes, 47 seconds. The call was upheld. The time of the review was the longest of the season at Chase Field.

Trainer's room

Cardinals: Of Jon Jay (wrist injury) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Friday. He's been on the disabled list since July 2.

Diamondbacks: Relief pitcher Daniel Hudson left the game in the top of the ninth inning with a minor hand injury. ... LF David Peralta was back in the starting lineup Thursday after a foul ball off his bat bounced up and hit him in the face on Wednesday.

Up next

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (15-4) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals in the series opener at San Francisco.