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 The Cardinals (72-40) got three hits and the tie-breaking RBI from
rookie left fielder Stephen Piscotty and eight innings from starter
Carlos Martinez (12-4) in improving their Central Division lead over
the Pirates (65-45) to six games.
Martinez had wriggled out of a first-and-second, no-out jam in
Pittsburgh's fifth, inducing a 6-3 double play from center fielder
Andrew McCutchen and a lineout from third baseman Aramis Ramirez
that shifted the momentum of the game.
"That was huge," St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong said of
Martinez's escape act. "We knew we had to get something going on
offense."
The Cardinals did, with Pirates starter Jeff Locke struggling with
his fastball accuracy as he walked Wong and shortstop Jhonny Peralta
to start the bottom of the fifth inning.
Right fielder Jason Heyward's ground ball single to right scored
Wong to make it 3-2. After an infield out moved two runners into
scoring position, catcher Yadier Molina lofted a sacrifice fly that
brought in Peralta.
Piscotty then laced a single to center that brought Heyward home.
"It's odd to see a rookie with the kind of disposition that Stephen
has," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.
"He's going about it the right way. He's using all the tools at his
disposal -- doing his film work, talking with the other hitters --
and he's adjusted quickly."
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Given his first lead, Martinez mixed in more off-speed pitches to
complement a fastball which was still touching 96 mph during the
eighth inning.
"I know they've seen me before," he said through an interpreter, "so
they know I throw hard. I had to throw other pitches to keep them
off-balance."
Pittsburgh had nicked Martinez for runs in three of the first four
innings. Shortstop Jung Ho Kang delivered a two-out RBI double in
the first, while Ramirez snapped a 1-1 tie in the third with a
two-out run-scoring single.
First baseman Pedro Alvarez increased the lead to 3-1 an inning
later when he hit his 16th homer of the year, but that was it for
the Pirate attack.
"It doesn't matter how you lose," McCutchen said. "No one likes to
lose. All you can do is get ready for tomorrow."
(Compiled by Greg Stutchbury)
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