Preview: Blue Jays at Cardinals (Game 1)

[April 27, 2017]  SportsDirect Inc.

The St. Louis Cardinals have lofty expectations for Carlos Martinez and the right-hander did nothing to temper them with a 10-strikeout performance in his season debut. Still, Martinez remains winless and will look to halt a three-start losing streak on Thursday when the Cardinals play a doubleheader to complete their three-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

Martinez typically has been a fast starter since he was moved into the starting rotation in 2015, going a combined 8-0 over April over the past two years en route to winning 30 games. He will face a Toronto offense that entered the series ranked 29th in the majors in scoring before squeezing out a 6-5 victory in 11 innings Tuesday night. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons elected to give catcher Russell Martin the start at third base to help his beleaguered offense and saw the winning run scored by pitcher Marcus Stroman after he delivered a pinch-hit double. The series-opening win put Toronto in position to post back-to-back victories for the first time this season, although the threat of severe weather on Wednesday brought about both a quick postponement and the announcement of the day/night doubleheader.

TV: 1:45 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet360 (Toronto), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Mat Latos (0-0, 7.20 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martínez (0-3, 4.76)

Once a mainstay on the pitching staffs of San Diego and Cincinnati, Latos is on his sixth team since the start of 2015 and will be making his second start for Toronto. The 29-year-old Latos worked five innings in his season debut at the Los Angeles Angels, giving up four runs on six hits while walking three in five innings. Latos has been hurt by Yadier Molina, who is 12-for-34 with a homer and five RBIs.

Martinez failed to get through the sixth inning for the third straight outing last time out in Milwaukee, giving up five runs on seven hits over five frames. He had a bizarre line in his previous turn against the New York Yankees, racking up 11 strikeouts while walking eight in 5 1/3 innings. Martinez has been an ordinary pitcher at home, posting a 15-14 record with a 3.77 ERA in 74 appearances (38 starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 3B Jedd Gyorko is 9-for-16 with three doubles, a triple and a homer during a four-game hitting streak.

2. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista entered the series batting .129 with 26 strikeouts, but had a pair of hits and an RBI single.

3. Cardinals 1B Matt Carpenter served a one-game suspension for making contact with an umpire Sunday versus Milwaukee.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Blue Jays 1

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.