Jul 18, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) hugs pitcher Michael Wacha (52) after the Cardinals defeated the New York Mets at Citi Field. Photo Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — Michael Wacha tossed a three-hitter for his first career complete game Tuesday night as the St. Louis Cardinals cruised past the New York Mets 5-0 at Citi Field.
Matt Carpenter had four hits — his 11th career four-hit game — for St. Louis. Wacha (7-3) allowed only a two-out single to Yoenis Cespedes in the first, a one-out double to Michael Conforto in the sixth and a leadoff single to Conforto in the ninth.
Wacha, who threw eight innings or more in only two of his first 107 big league starts, walked one, struck out eight — including Jay Bruce to end the game — while throwing a career-high 119 pitches.
The right-hander, who also helped his cause by going 1-for-4 with a run-scoring fielder’s choice grounder, has won his last four starts — a stretch in which he’s allowed three runs over 26 2/3 innings.
Diamondbacks 11, Reds 2
CINCINNATI — Chris Hermann and Rey Fuentes homered, and Arizona tied a season high with nine extra-base hits while snapping a season-high five-game losing streak.
On a night when they acquired slugging outfielder J.D. Martinez in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, the Diamondbacks saw their struggling offense erupt for six runs in the fifth inning. David Peralta went 3-for-5 with a double and RBI for Arizona.
Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray (9-4) allowed two runs on four hits in six innings and retired seven of the final eight batters he faced. He recorded his 500th career strikeout in the fourth inning and finished with four on the night.
Orioles 12, Rangers 1
BALTIMORE — Chris Davis homered twice, including a grand slam, and drove in a career-high six runs as Baltimore banged out four homers to beat Texas.
Davis hit a two-run shot in the first as the Orioles scored six times against the Rangers’ Tyson Ross (2-2). The grand slam came off Austin Bibens-Dirkx in the fourth and broke the game open, giving the Orioles a 10-1 lead.
Trey Mancini and Seth Smith hit the other Orioles homers. Mancini’s was a two-run bomb during in the first, while Smith led off the eighth with a solo shot.
Pirates 4, Brewers 3
PITTSBURGH — Francisco Cervelli and Josh Harrison homered and David Freese provided the go-ahead single — all in a four-run sixth inning — as Pittsburgh rallied past Milwaukee.
The Pirates’ Starling Marte received a warm reception in his first game after serving an 80-game suspension for PED use, walking after Cervelli’s solo shot and scored on Harrison’s blast. Marte made a sliding catch of Ryan Braun’s soft line drive to end the first.
Travis Shaw’s three-run homer off the Pirates’ Ivan Nova (10-6) in the third inning was the extent of the Brewers’ offense.
Phillies 5, Marlins 2
MIAMI — Maikel Franco’s home run overshadowed another shot by Giancarlo Stanton as Philadelphia defeated Miami.
Franco’s solo blast to left-center field broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning. It was his 14th homer of the season and his fourth this month while his past three homers have broken deadlocks.
All-Star reliever Pat Neshek (3-2) threw one scoreless inning to earn the win for the Phillies (31-61), who have the worst record in the majors. Hector Neris tossed a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save.
