Martinez stalls Pirates on 6 hits
Holliday homers in Cards’ win
PITTSBURGH — Carlos Martinez pitched into the ninth inning for his third consecutive win and Matt Holliday had a three-run homer among his three hits as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Saturday night.
The Cardinals won for the sixth time in seven games. Pittsburgh lost its fourth in a row.
Martinez (7-5) gave up one run and six hits in 8 ⅓ innings before being lifted when the Pirates put runners on first and second with one out.
“I always want to go out there and do my work for all nine innings,” Martinez said.
Holliday was impressed by the right-hander, who threw 122 pitches in his 49th career start.
“He was still throwing 96 mph in the ninth inning with over 100 pitches and he has two plus breaking pitches,” Holliday said. “He’s got top two, top three stuff in the league. He’s got Cy Young-caliber stuff.”
Trevor Rosenthal got two outs for his 12th save in 14 opportunities. He blew a save in the ninth inning Friday night in a game the Cardinals won 9-3 in 12 innings.
Martinez threw 122 pitches in an attempt to pitch his first career complete game in his 49th start. He struck out five and walked three.
Before starting his winning streak, Martinez lost five straight starts.
“It really hasn’t been any big changes,” Martinez said. “I’m just trying to stay focused and make small adjustments.”
Holliday’s 10th homer capped a four-run fifth against Francisco Liriano (4-6).
Brandon Moss led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Jedd Gyorko struck out but reached first base on Chris Stewart’s passed ball. Two outs later, Aledmys Diaz walked and Holliday followed with a drive to right-center field.
Moss had his fifth straight multihit game.
Liriano was pitching on extra rest as he started for the first time since June 3, but he still fell to 1-5 in his last six outings. The lefthander gave up four runs — three unearned — and four hits in six innings.
Starling Marte had three hits, and he is 14 for 34 (.412) against the Cardinals this season.
Jhonny Peralta’s RBI single in the seventh extended the Cardinals’ lead to 5-0.
The Pirates got their run in the bottom half when Gregory Polanco doubled and scored on Josh Harrison’s sacrifice fly.