Rockies slow Cards’ march to wild card, win 11-1
DENVER — The St. Louis Cardinals picked up a win before a pitch was even thrown when reserve outfielder Jose Martinez captured a playful, pregame anthem with Colorado reliever Carlos Estevez.
Too bad for the Cardinals that didn’t count in the standings. They sure could’ve used it.
Nolan Arenado hit a grand slam, German Marquez pitched five solid innings for his first major-league win and the Rockies slowed the Cardinals’ playoff chase with an 11-1 victory on Wednesday.
The Cardinals, who had won four straight, entered the day tied with New York and San Francisco atop the NL wild-card standings. The Mets and Giants both played later.
Arenado broke open the game in the second with his NL-leading 39th homer of the season. His fourth career slam made it 6-1.
It’s a pitch that simply caught too much of the plate.
“Stayed straight,” starter Luke Weaver said. “For it to flatten out at such a big moment right there is disappointing.”
Weaver (1-4) was roughed up by the Rockies, surrendering seven hits and six runs in two innings. Before this game, the right-hander had allowed 12 earned runs in his last seven starts combined.
The Cardinals had some early momentum when that standoff went their way.
Here’s how it unfolded: Estevez and Martinez stood near their dugouts — with their baseball cap over their heart — and refused to back down until the other moved first.
Estevez blinked first and made a winner of Martinez, who celebrated before retreating to the dugout. Estevez said manager Walt Weiss pulled him in out of fear of being ejected.
“It’s not fun to have one less bullpen guy,” Estevez explained.
Martinez was going to see this thing through to the end — no matter the consequences.
“The umpire asked me, ‘Why you do that?’ I’m like, ‘When you’re a rookie and a big league guy asks you to stand up there, I stand up there,’” said Martinez, who had a pinch-hit single in the seventh. “The most important thing is we have fun and the fans enjoyed it.”
This was a memorable day for Marquez (1-0), who made his first big league start after three appearances out of the bullpen. He allowed one run and struck out three.
At 21 years, 212 days, Marquez was the second-youngest pitcher in Rockies’ history to earn his first win, the team announced. The youngest was Jamey Wright (21-206).
“A great pitching performance from the kid today,” Weiss said. “It’s easy — easy velocity. Very effortless.”
Astros 6, Athletics 5
OAKLAND, Calif. — Evan Gattis homered twice, catcher Jason Castro threw out a runner to end the game and the contending Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics to complete a sweep.
The Astros began the day two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild-card spot.
Oakland scored on second baseman Jose Altuve’s fielding error with two outs in the ninth inning to pull within 6-5. Castro then threw out pinch runner Arismendy Alcantara trying to steal second, and the call was upheld on a replay review.
Collin McHugh (12-10) won his fifthstraight decision, allowing two runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings. Five relievers combined to record the final 10 outs, with former A’s setup man Luke Gregerson retiring three batters for his 15th save.
Gattis reached 30 homers. He hit a two-run drive in the sixth off Daniel Mengden (2-8) for a 4-1 lead and connected again in the eighth.
Carlos Correa had two hits, including an RBI double, and Altuve singled twice and scored a run. Gattis homered for third time in three days to finish the three-game sweep.
The Astros scored their first run without a hit in the fifth inning and added three more in the sixth.
Altuve, the AL’s leading hitter, had a one-out single and scored the go-ahead run on Correa’s double. Gattis followed with a home run.