Martinez Pitches Cards To Win, Cubs Down Brewers

By ESPN

Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez ended a tough stretch in emphatic fashion Wednesday.

Martinez took a no-hitter into the sixth, Jeremy Hazelbaker and Brandon Moss hit home runs and St. Louis beat the Houston Astros 8-2.

Martinez (11-7) pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing a run while striking out seven. He retired 15 of the first 16 batters before giving up a leadoff double to Teoscar Hernandez in the sixth.

Martinez had allowed 14 runs over his previous three starts.

"He's been impressive," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "I enjoy watching guys improve. When you see him pitch like that and maintain like that, that's improvement."

Martinez leads St. Louis pitchers with 11 starts of seven or more innings.

"Every day I go out on the hill focused on my work and ready to go through nine innings hopefully," Martinez said. "Some days there's bad days, some days there's good days like today. I stayed focused and I felt really good. I feel like it's just part of the game and I went out and did the best I could."

The Cardinals have won four straight and have a slim lead for the second NL wild-card spot over the Pirates and Marlins.

Cubs 6, Brewers 1

Jorge Soler has made the Chicago Cubs' lineup deeper by going deep.

Soler, who hit a three-run home run to lead Chicago to a 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night, has hit seven home runs in seven starts since coming off the disabled list in early August. He's hitting .379 in 10 games over that stretch.

"When Jorge is in there it makes a deep, long lineup," said Cubs catcher David Ross, who hit a solo home run as the Cubs won their third straight and 17th in 20 games.

"When he was out ... the lineup was shortened, you know, once you get past a certain guy, it's a little easier to navigate the lineup," Ross said.

Hitting in the sixth spot, Soler sent Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson's 2-2 pitch far over the wall in left-center field, depositing it just under the videoboard atop the stands.

The homer capped a five-run first inning after RBI singles by Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell.

That made for an easy night for Cubs starter Jon Lester (13-4), who got his fourth straight win, giving up one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven. He hasn't lost since July 3.

White Sox 10, Indians 7

The Chicago White Sox have had little success against the Cleveland Indians this season.

Adam Eaton put an end to that in stunning fashion.

Eaton's ninth-inning grand slam off closer Cody Allen capped a five-run rally and lifted the White Sox to a 10-7 win Wednesday night.

"That was a lot of fun," Eaton said.

Chicago was 2-8 against Cleveland, including seven straight losses going into the game.

"You don't give up, that's what it shows you," manager Robin Ventura said. "These guys keep playing all the way through every game because they know they can do it. Good things happen when you fight through."

The Indians went ahead 7-5 in the fifth inning and the White Sox had been held scoreless since the fourth.

Allen (2-5) retired the first hitter before Chicago loaded the bases on infield singles by Todd Frazier and J.B. Shuck, and a walk to Tim Anderson.

Dioner Navarro's bloop hit down the left field line scored a run before Eaton homered to right on an 0-2 pitch for his first career grand slam.

Wednesday, August 17 Scoreboard

Toronto 7, New York Yankees 4

Tampa Bay 2, San Diego 0

St. Louis 8, Houston 2

Colorado 12, Washington 10

Pittsburgh 6, San Francisco 5

Boston 8, Baltimore 1 (F/6)

Los Angeles Dodgers 7, Philadelphia 2

Chicago White Sox 10, Cleveland 7

Kansas City 4, Detroit 1

Minnesota 10, Atlanta 3

Cincinnati 3, Miami 2

Texas 6, Oakland 2

Chicago Cubs 6, Milwaukee 1

Arizona 13, New York Mets 5

Seattle 4, Los Angeles Angels 3

Thursday, August 18 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Miami at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Seattle at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

New York Mets at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Friday, August 19 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Detroit, 6:00 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Miami at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Toronto at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Texas at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Oakland at Chicago White Sox , 7:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

New York Mets at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.

Saturday, August 20 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Mets at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

Texas at Tampa Bay, 5:10 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Miami at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Oakland at Chicago White Sox, 6:10 p.m.

Toronto at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Boston at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at Atlanta, 6:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 7:40 p.m.

Milwaukee at Seattle, 8:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels, 8:35 p.m.

Sunday, August 21 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Detroit, 12:10 p.m.

Toronto at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

Texas at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Houston at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

Washington at Atlanta, 12:35 p.m.

St. Louis at Philadelphia, 12:35 p.m.

Miami at Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.

Oakland at Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels, 2:35 p.m.

Milwaukee at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

New York Mets at San Francisco, 7 p.m.