Cardinals 2 - 1 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Cards, Dodgers go at it again in L.A.

Jun 5, 2015 - 2:30 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Right-hander Carlos Martinez eyes a third straight winning decision and an extension of his scoreless-innings streak on Friday night as the St. Louis Cardinals continue a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Martinez was brilliant over seven innings against Los Angeles in a 3-1 victory on Sunday, allowing only one hit and three walks while striking out eight over a scoreless outing. He improved to 5-2 with a 3.13 earned run average this season and 1-1 lifetime versus the Dodgers with a 3.43 ERA in five games (4 starts).

"This was one of his best outings yet," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny about Martinez. "From the first pitch to the last one, he turned it up a notch. He was very consistent with all his pitches."

The 23-year-old righty has not allowed a run over his past three starts since a loss to Detroit on May 15, scattering 10 hits and striking out 21 batters over 20 1/3 innings.

Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson will counter Martinez again tonight seeking his first victory since May 8.

Anderson took the loss to the Cardinals last Sunday, his first career start against them, despite allowing only two runs over six innings of work. He was reached for five hits and three walks while striking out five, but was very tough on himself after the game.

"That may have been the worst stuff I've ever had in the big leagues," said Anderson. "There's not many moral victories in this game but the fact that I gave the team a quality start with my "D" stuff, I can take a little something away from that."

Anderson, 27, is 2-3 on the year with a 3.42 ERA.

The Cardinals won last night's series opener 7-1 as Michael Wacha avenged his first loss of the season with an excellent outing. Wacha was defeated by the Dodgers last week, but limited them to seven hits and fanned five over seven innings of one-run ball last night to win his eighth game of the season.

"Michael had a good game plan going. His cutter was as good as I've seen and he did a good job of mixing it up," Matheny said.

Jhonny Peralta went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Jason Heyward and Kolten Wong both had two-run hits for the NL Central-leading Cardinals. St. Louis was coming off a 7-2 homestand and won its third straight game.

Dodgers starter Carlos Frias pitched into the seventh inning but not before surrendering five runs -- three earned -- on 10 hits and three walks in the loss.

"Carlos showed a lot of heart. We couldn't have asked for more," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of his starter.

Joc Pederson nearly homered for a sixth straight game, which would have set a modern Dodgers record, but his drive to left field in the third inning caromed high off the wall and he settled for a double.

The NL West leaders lost for the sixth time in nine games and hold just a 1 1/2-game advantage over second-place San Francisco.

The Cardinals and Dodgers are meeting for the second time this season, with St. Louis having won two of three encounters at home from May 29-31. That came after the Cardinals ousted the Dodgers in each of the previous two postseasons, the 2013 NL Championship Series and last year's NL Divisional Series.






Related News