CINCINNATI (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals want leadoff batter Matt Carpenter to drive the ball. He sure did Sunday.

Carpenter hit a two-run homer off Kevin Gregg in the 11th inning, lifting St. Louis over Cincinnati 7-5 in a game that featured the major league debut of Cuban right-hander Raisel Iglesias for the Reds.

Carpenter’s 392-foot drive to center on a full-count pitch from Gregg (0-1) followed Kolten Wong’s single and delighted Cardinals’ manager Mike Matheny.

“We’ve talked to him about utilizing his power,” Matheny said. “You’re going to see that from him from time to time.”

Carpenter’s go-ahead drive followed Jhonny Peralta’s two-run, tying homer in the eighth off of Jumbo Diaz, which quieted the crowd of 41,446, Cincinnati’s third sellout of the six-game homestand.

“That was huge,” Carpenter said. “He’s been swinging the bat well all season.”

Carlos Villanueva (1-0) pitched two innings, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th by striking out Todd Frazier. St. Louis took two of three in the series and has won 13 consecutive three-game series against Cincinnati, putting a damper on a homestand that opened with four consecutive wins and frustrating second-year manager Bryan Price.

“It was a nice homestand but today was a game we should have won,” said Price, who joined the team in 2010 as pitching coach. “Since I’ve been here, the Cardinals has been a team that has beaten us. At the end of the World Series, no one cares how many times you beat a certain team, but to reverse that, yes, it’s important to me.”

Iglesias allowed three runs and five hits in five innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Signed last July to a $27 million, seven-year contract, he became the first Reds player since Mike Leake in 2010 to reach the majors without playing a minor league game.

Iglesias gave up two hits and a walk through the first four innings, then fell behind 3-1 in the fifth. Yadier Molina doubled leading off, and Carpenter hit a two-run single and scored from first on Jason Heyward’s double into the right-field corner. Heyward was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple, with second baseman Brandon Phillips making the relay after Jay Bruce’s throw.

St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez struck out a career-high eight in six innings, giving up two runs and four hits.

Bruce led off the second with his second homer of the season and Billy Hamilton cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-2 in the sixth with his first homer.

Frazier had a two-run single and Phillips followed with an RBI hit to give Cincinnati a 5-3 lead in the seventh.

BREAK TIME

The Reds varied their starting eight for the first time this season, with Brennan Boesch replacing Marlon Byrd in left field and Brayan Pena taking over for Devin Mesoraco at catcher. Pena was the last position player to play for the first time this season. Byrd and Mesoraco both were 2-for-20 (.100) in the first five games.

TIMEOUT

Reds manager Bryan Price was ejected by crew chief Joe West in the top of the eighth after Jon Jay was hit by a pitch. The ejection was the third for Price, who is in his second season as manager.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Catcher Tony Cruz was expected to rejoin the team in St. Louis on Sunday night. Cruz started paternity leave Friday.

Reds: Catcher Brayan Pena left the game in the seventh after injuring his left shoulder in a fall at first base while beating out a leadoff bunt.

ON DECK

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright will pitch for the first time in eight days when he starts St. Louis’s home opener on Monday against Milwaukee. The right-hander’s second start of the season was pushed back by last Tuesday’s rainout in Chicago.

Reds: The Reds get their first look at under-renovation Wrigley Field when they open their first trip of the season on Monday in Chicago. Mike Leake is 4-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his last four starts against the Cubs.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — Matt Adams’ first hit sent the Cincinnati Reds to their first loss.

The St. Louis first baseman snapped a hitless start to the season at 10 at-bats with a leadoff homer in the fourth inning, lifting the Cardinals to a 4-1 victory Saturday that ended the Reds’ winning streak at four.

“I got to the park early, and my early work felt good,” said Adams, who was robbed of a hit in the second inning on a diving catch by left fielder Marlon Byrd. “It carried over into the game. He left a changeup up, and I was able to get the barrel through it.”

Kolten Wong had a sacrifice fly, Jhonny Peralta and Yadier Molina added ninth-inning RBI singles and Michael Wacha pitched into the seventh to get the win in his first appearance of the season.

Wacha (1-0) shook off Todd Frazier’s first-inning home run to go 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one run with a walk and two strikeouts. He stranded a runner in scoring position in each of his last four full innings and needed just 76 pitches to earn the win.

“That team over there is very aggressive early in the count,” he said. “I was able to keep it down in the zone and get some weak contact.”

The Reds left five runners in scoring position. Cincinnati’s fourth-through-eighth batters are hitting .200 or less.

“We didn’t have much going on offense, but it was a close game until the end,” manager Bryan Price said.

Trevor Rosenthal, the Cardinals’ fifth relief pitcher, got five outs for his second save.

Adams led off the fourth inning by lofting a one-strike pitch 355 feet down the right-field line and on to the netting above the visitors’ bullpen to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.

That was the only earned run allowed by Reds starter Johnny Cueto in 14 innings this season — a 0.64 ERA. Cueto (0-1), who turned in seven shutout innings without a decision in Cincinnati’s 5-2 win over Pittsburgh in Monday’s opener, again went seven, giving up four hits and two runs with four strikeouts. He also hit a batter.

Frazier, before a sellout crowd of 41,525 on his bobblehead day, gave Cincinnati the lead with his third home run of the season, a 342-foot drive into the seats down the left-field line on a 3-0 pitch with two outs in the first.

The Cardinals tied it by loading the bases with one out on Frazier’s error of Peralta’s sharp one-hopper — Cincinnati’s first error of the season — a hit batsman and Molina’s single, setting up Wong’s tying sacrifice fly. Molina’s hit was his first in 11 at-bats.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Jon Jay returned to the starting lineup on Saturday after getting Friday off so that Randal Grichuk could get some playing time. Grichuk responded with a two-run homer.

Reds: The Reds have used the same starting lineup for their first five games after being able to use last year’s projected starting eight just 12 times all season. The last time the Reds used the same lineup for a season’s first five games was 1989, according to Elias Sports as reported by the team.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: After 11 career relief appearances against the Reds, Carlos Martinez makes his first start against Cincinnati and his first start of the season on Sunday. The right-hander pitched a scoreless relief inning last Sunday against the Cubs in Chicago.

Reds: Cuba native Raisel Iglesias is set to make his major league debut with a start on Sunday.

PACK `EM IN

Saturday’s sellout crowd was Cincinnati’s second in five games. The Reds needed 23 games to log their second sellout last season.

THE BIRD’S A TARGET

Jon Jay led the majors by being hit with pitches 20 times in 2014. His first of 2015 helped the Cardinals tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning.

— Associated Press —

CINCINNATI (AP) — With Joey Votto playing like an MVP again, the Cincinnati Reds have stayed unbeaten.

Votto hit a pair of two-run homers — the strongest indication yet that he’s fully back in form — and Todd Frazier had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly on Friday night, keeping the Cincinnati Reds undefeated with a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Reds are 4-0 for the first time since 2011, when they won their first five games. They’ve won each game in their final at-bat.

Votto homered off John Lackey in each of his first two at-bats. Frazier’s sacrifice fly in the eighth off Jordan Walden (0-1) drove in Billy Hamilton and marked the second time this week that he’s knocked in the deciding run.

J.J. Hoover (2-0) escaped a threat in the eighth. Aroldis Chapman gave up a hit and fanned two in the ninth for his second save.

Votto hit only six homers last season — the last one on May 10 — and didn’t play after July 5 because of strained muscles above his left knee. He showed up for spring training feeling strong and has played to his 2010 National League MVP form so far.

“He was terrific,” manager Bryan Price said. “He’s doing a lot of things really well. It’s nice to have him back with his athleticism.”

He had his first multihomer game since May 13, 2012, and the 10th of his career. In four games, Votto is 7 for 17 with three homers and eight RBIs.

Votto had two singles in the season opener, a game-ending RBI single in the 11th inning of the second game, and a two-run homer on Thursday as the Reds swept the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“It’s early. It’ll level off,” Votto said. “I didn’t have a great spring, but I felt very good. Physically, I was in a good frame which usually means I’m going to have a good year.”

Jason Marquis made his first start in the majors since July 19, 2013 with San Diego. He had Tommy John surgery and made nine appearances in the minors with the Phillies last season as part of his comeback.

The 36-year-old was in line for the win, handing a 4-3 lead to the bullpen in the seventh. Marquis retired 12 in a row after Randal Grichuk’s two-run homer.

“I gave up the home run to the No 8 batter there, and I felt like I wasn’t doing my job,” Marquis said. “Luckily, Joey came through.”

The Cardinals put together three singles in the seventh, with Jason Heyward’s hit up the middle tying it at 4.

PAYING TRIBUTE

The Reds had a pregame tribute on the videoboard for of Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras and his girlfriend, who died in a car crash during the offseason. Also, a tribute to Lauren Hill, the college basketball player who died from a brain tumor on Friday.

BILLY RUNS

Hamilton’s steal in the eighth left him 7 for 7 this season. He’s the first Reds player to steal a base in each of the first four games since 1988, when Barry Larkin had a steal in each of the first six.. Hamilton is 7 for 7 career off Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Reserve catcher Tony Cruz went on paternity leave. He’s expected back on Monday. Catcher Ed Easley was called up from Triple-A Memphis for his major league debut.

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey is scheduled to make his first rehab start on Sunday at Triple-A Louisville. He’s on the DL recovering from surgery on his forearm last September.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Michael Wacha has made six career appearances against the Reds, going 1-2 with a 2.30 ERA.

Reds: Johnny Cueto makes his second start. He threw seven shutout innings but didn’t get the decision in a 5-2 win over the Pirates on Monday. Cueto is 2/3 career against the Cardinals.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Cubs catcher Miguel Montero called Jake Arrieta a freak. Chicago manager Joe Maddon said Arrieta is in such good shape he could record fitness videos, like Jane Fonda used to.

Arrieta also can pitch.

Arrieta allowed three hits over seven innings and Starlin Castro had a go-ahead RBI single in a two-run seventh, leading the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 for their first win this season.

Backed by just two hits from Chicago’s offense, Arrieta (1-0) struck out seven and walked three. He was 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA in a breakout 2014 and improved to 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis.
Editor’s Picks

“He deserves everything that he’s gotten,” said Maddon, who got his first win as Chicago manager after leaving Tampa Bay.

Phil Coke, Neil Ramirez, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon combined for hitless relief. Rondon pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season for the Cubs, who lost 3-0 to St. Louis on Sunday night’s opener.

Arrieta said he was suffering from jitters and too much adrenaline ahead of his first start of the year at home, especially ahead of a game against rival St. Louis.

“Those things are expected,” Arrieta said.

Lance Lynn (0-1) struck out nine in six-plus innings but Castro’s single chased him in the seventh. Montero hit a sacrifice fly off Kevin Siegrist.

Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch leading off the seventh and advanced when Lynn’s pickoff throw was wide of Matt Adams at first for an error. Castro then singled, ending the Cubs’ 15-inning scoreless streak at the start of the season, and took second on the throw.

“When it’s all said and done, it’s a loss,” Lynn said. “So I’ve got to pitch better.”

Lynn allowed both runs — one earned — and two hits

“He had good movement, worked both sides of the plate and did what we teach our guys to do — mix it up, and there’s nothing you can necessarily sit on,” Matheny said.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING?

Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said his habit of not throwing over to hold runners at first base is “something that I think is getting blown out of proportion right here.” On Sunday, St. Louis stole three bases against Lester, who hasn’t thrown to first since 2013. “Right now there’s nothing really to talk about at the beginning of the year, so we need to talk about all the negative stuff,” Lester said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Because the Cardinals did not alter their rotation order after Tuesday’s rainout, RHP Michael Wacha will get one more day before his first start of 2015. Wacha, slowed by shoulder problems last year, will pitch Saturday in Cincinnati.

Cubs: Chicago slightly changed its rotation, scheduling LHP Travis Wood to pitch Friday and RHP Jason Hammel on Saturday against Colorado. Before Tuesday’s rainout, Hammel was slated to pitch Wednesday and Wood was to throw Friday. Maddon said the decision to push back Hammel was made to keep Wood on schedule. “Nobody’s ill, nobody’s hurt,” Maddon said.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals are off Thursday before traveling to face the Reds in Cincinnati. John Lackey is scheduled to face former Cardinals pitcher Jason Marquis in his Cincinnati debut. Marquis didn’t pitch last season. Chicago is also off Thursday and will play the Rockies in Denver, when Travis Wood starts for Chicago.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — Same ol’ Cubbies. Same old Cardinals, too.

At least for one game.

Adam Wainwright threw six sharp innings to outpitch Jon Lester, and St. Louis handed new Chicago manager Joe Maddon a 3-0 loss Sunday night in the major league opener.

Jason Heyward had three hits in his St. Louis debut and Matt Holliday drove in two runs for the NL Central champions. Throw in Matt Carpenter’s two hits at new-look Wrigley Field, and the top third of the Cardinals’ lineup went 7 for 14 with three RBIs.

Playing their most anticipated opener in years, the Cubs went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

Lester was pulled with one out in the fifth inning on a chilly evening. The ace left-hander, who got a $155 million, six-year contract from Chicago during free agency, allowed three runs and eight hits in his fifth straight opening day start.

The addition of Lester and Maddon ramped up the expectations for Chicago after five straight losing seasons. But it was more of the same in their first game.

The biggest difference for the home team was a giant videoboard in left field, part of a major renovation for the iconic neighborhood ballpark. The closed bleachers were covered by pictures of Hall of Fame slugger Ernie Banks, who played for Chicago for 19 seasons and died in January at age 83.

The Cubs honored Banks with a pregame moment of silence, and his sons Jerry and Joey Banks each threw out a ceremonial first pitch. The club also extended its condolences to the Cardinals for Oscar Taveras, an outfield prospect who died in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic last October.

Heyward got the majors’ first hit of the season when he doubled and scored on Holliday’s single in the first. Holliday had another RBI single in the fifth.

It was more than enough for Wainwright, who was slowed by an abdominal injury early in spring training, but looked just fine in his fourth opening-day start. The 6-foot-7 right-hander made the most of umpire Mike Winters’ wide strike zone, striking out six with no walks. He gave up all five Cubs hits.

Carlos Martinez, who won the fifth starter job in training camp, then worked the seventh for St. Louis. Jordan Walden got three outs before Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side for the save.

The shutout was sure to have some Cubs fans clamoring for Kris Bryant, the power-hitting prospect who recently was sent to the minors for more seasoning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder inflammation) is expected to begin a throwing program in the next week or so, and general manager John Mozeliak said OF Tommy Pham (strained left quad) is scheduled to see a specialist on Monday. Garcia was competing for the fifth starter job before the injury. “I would say in the next week to two weeks we’ll have a better idea of perhaps expected return or perhaps what a rehab assignment might look like,” Mozeliak said. “But I would say it’s still about 10 to 14 days away before we make that decision.”

Cubs: OF Chris Denorfia (mild left hamstring strain), RHP Jacob Turner (right shoulder inflammation), RHP Dallas Beeler (right shoulder inflammation) and LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (mild left groin strain) were placed on the disabled list before the game. Each of the DL stints is retroactive to March 27.

UP NEXT

Following an off day on Monday, Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta gets the ball on Tuesday against Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn. Arrieta went 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA in 25 starts last year, and Lynn has won at least 15 games in each of the last three seasons.

— Associated Press —

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — All the tuneups are complete for Matt Harvey. Next up is the real thing.

Harvey capped an exemplary spring training by striking out four in four innings Thursday as the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals played a 0-0 tie in their Grapefruit League finale.

Harvey allowed three hits and threw 41 of 56 pitches for strikes. He had a 1.19 ERA in six spring training starts, giving up three runs and 17 hits in 22 2/3 innings.

“Everything feels great, as it has all spring training,” Harvey said. “I don’t think there’s much more to accomplish.”

The NL starter in the 2013 All-Star game at Citi Field, Harvey hasn’t pitched in a regular-season game since Aug. 24, 2013. The 26-year-old right-hander is recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery that Oct. 22.

He walked one and struck out 21 during the exhibition season.

“You hear stories of guys who have trouble with command coming back, and that as something I really worked on,” Harvey said. “Obviously you never know until you start facing hitters and getting into a game, but to know I did that, I’m pleased with that.”

Harvey is scheduled to follow Bartolo Colon and NL Rookie of the Year Jacob DeGrom in the rotation and pitch April 9 at Washington. He returns to Citi Field to start the Mets’ second home game, against Philadelphia on April 14.

Lance Lynn, scheduled to follow Adam Wainwright in the Cardinals’ rotation, allowed three hits in six innings, struck out four and walked none.

“He was great — everything we needed to see,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.

Lynn, who starts at the Chicago Cub on Tuesday, hit Curtis Granderson on a leg with a pitch in the third. Granderson left after the end of the half inning in what Mets manager Terry Collins said was a precaution.

STARTING TIME

Mets: Collins said Harvey will be limited to about 90 pitches against the Nationals. “We’re going to be delicate with him,” Collins said.

Cardinals: John Lackey, Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez will follow Lynn in the rotation.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: 2B Daniel Murphy homered in a minor league camp game on the back fields of New York’s Port St. Lucie complex. Collins hopes Murphy will be ready to play by opening day.

Cardinals: OF Tommy Pham is expected to see a doctor in Texas for a second opinion on his injured quadriceps. Pham had been in contention for the final outfield spot before the injury.

MORE CONCISE

St. Louis reliever Kevin Seigrist struck out three in one scoreless inning. Seigrist spent spring training developing a more compact delivery. “Where there’s extra movement, there’s extra time, which means there’s extra room for things to fall apart,” Matheny said. “He’s simplified it.”

SPRING IRON MAN

Cardinals OF Stephen Piscotty played in every possible game during the Grapefruit League season, missing only a split squad contest. He will begin the season with Triple-A Memphis. “He’s a guy that we enjoyed watching,” Matheny said.

CARDINAL NATION

St. Louis announced a spring attendance of 98,533 for 15 home games at Roger Dean Stadium, an average of 6,569.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Marco Gonzales starts at Triple-A Memphis on Friday.

Mets: DeGrom starts Friday at Texas, when Dillon Gee goes Saturday in New York’s final exhibition game.

— Associated Press —

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Carlos Martinez pitched six scoreless innings and Jhonny Peralta drove in two runs as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 5-2 Wednesday.

Martinez, the Cardinals’ fifth starter, scattered three hits, struck out five and walked one.

“I worked better today and I felt better than any other start,” Martinez said through a translator. “My changeup was my best pitch, I feel, and my slider was my best pitch after my changeup.”

Mets opening-day starter Bartolo Colon allowed three runs and six hits in five innings, struck out two and walked one.

Peralta had an RBI double in the first inning and added a RBI single off Colon in the sixth. Kolton Wong and Mike Adams each had two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals.

“I’ve felt pretty good this spring,” Peralta said. “I’ve been working really hard and I feel I’m ready to go. Bartolo’s a good pitcher, but the whole of spring training I’ve been feeling good at the plate. I’m ready.”

Matt Reynolds had three RBIs for the Mets, including a two-run double in the eighth.

STARTING TIME

Mets: Colon allowed one run through the first five innings, but allowed three consecutive singles starting the sixth and was pulled after the third, a run-scoring hit by Peralta. Colon threw 85 pitches.

Cardinals: Manager Mike Matheny would like to see Martinez find a better emotional balance on the mound.

“You watch the best in our game right now, they look the exact same all the time,” Matheny said. “It’s hard for a starting pitching to get to that minus experience and that’s what Carlos is going to have to start — just being real aware. … A big part of consistency is how you hold yourself on that mound.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy (hamstring) played five innings in a minor league game Wednesday, and manager Terry Collins was hopeful Murphy would be ready for Monday’s opener at Washington.

“We have to keep an open mind,” Collins said. “Dan looked tremendous. He looked great at the plate. It’s the daily grind of stuff. We certainly have to monitor his workload, but we’re hoping the next couple days he gets a little extra work in and we look up this weekend and he joins us.”

Murphy will remain in Port St. Lucie for the rest of the week and continue to play in minor league games.

Mets reliever Vic Black (shoulder) faced three hitters in a minor league game. He is scheduled to pitch again Saturday.

Jaime Garcia (shoulder) will start the season on the disabled list and remain at their spring training facility Jupiter after the team leaves Florida on Thursday. Matheny said Garcia had range of motion and strength tests on his surgically repaired shoulder Tuesday.

CARDINALS ANNOUNCE ROTATION

Lance Lynn will start the Cardinals home opener April 13 against Milwaukee, Matheny announced Wednesday. St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright will start the season opener and be followed in the rotation by Lynn, John Lackey, Michael Wacha and Martinez.

UP NEXT

The Mets and Cardinals wrap up Grapefruit League play Thursday in Jupiter. Right-hander Matt Harvey starts for the Mets and Lance Lynn for the Cardinals.

— Associated Press —

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Washington Nationals closer Drew Storen exited early because of a blister on his right big toe Monday in a 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Storen issued a two-out walk to Kolten Wong, then left the mound in the sixth inning.

“You start sweating, it gets hot, you start having friction down there and he developed a blister and then the next pitch it ripped,” Washington manager Matt Williams said.

The setback is the second of the spring for the right-handed Storen, who missed time after undergoing surgery to remove part of a bone in his left hand.

“We’ll re-evaluate him tomorrow and see how he is, but no need to push it at this point,” Williams said.

The lack of time table for Storen’s return is made more troublesome by the news that an MRI exam of reliever Casey Janssen’s shoulder showed rotator cuff tendinitis. Janssen is expected to be Washington’s primary setup man.

“He’s a question mark for opening day,” Williams said.

The injury report from Washington’s position players isn’t any more encouraging. Anthony Rendon was scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews for an exam on his ailing left knee.

St. Louis pitcher Michael Wacha pronounced himself ready for the season after allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out three in five innings.

Wacha, who missed much of last season with a stress fracture in his scapula, is pleased with how his arm performed this spring.

“I was real happy with the way it’s been bouncing back after each start and the way it feels throughout the game as well,” Wacha said.

STARTING TIME

Nationals: Washington sent minor leaguer Taylor Jordan south to face the Cardinals, keeping Max Scherzer, whose turn it would have been in the rotation, in Viera. Scherzer is expected to throw in a minor league game at the Nationals’ spring training complex on Tuesday as he prepares to be Washington’s opening-day starter.

Cardinals: Matheny said Carlos Martinez will get Wednesday’s start when St. Louis travels to face the New York Mets. John Lackey will throw in a minor league game that day. Lance Lynn gets the start in the Cardinals’ Grapefruit League finale on Thursday against the Mets.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: Outfielder Jayson Werth hit in a minor league game for the first time since undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

MORE OUTFIELD HELP

After the game, the Nationals announced on their Twitter account that they had signed outfielder Reed Johnson to a minor league deal that included a spring training invitation. The Marlins released Johnson earlier in the day.

UP NEXT

Nationals: Gio Gonzalez starts Tuesday against the New York Mets.

Cardinals: Ace Adam Wainwright will get his final start of the spring on Tuesday when the Cardinals play fellow Roger Dean Stadium tenant Miami.

— Associated Press —

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Dillon Gee allowed singles to four of his first five batters, then settled in to pitch seven innings Sunday in the New York Mets’ 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Matt Carpenter and Jason Heyward opened the first with singles, but left fielder Michael Cuddyer threw out Carpenter at third. Matt Holliday singled, and the Cardinals pulled off a double steal, and shortstop Ruben Tejada turned Matt Adams’ liner into an unassisted double play.

Jhonny Peralta singled leading off the second, and Yadier Molina grounded into a 1-6-3 double play. Gee wound up allowing two runs and seven hits. Heyward hit an RBI triple in the third and scored on Holliday’s sacrifice fly.

“I definitely started executing a lot better as the game went on,” Gee said. “Early, I had trouble finding everything. Luckily, today I think the cutter allowed me to stay in the game long enough to figure it out.”

Lucas Duda had three hits, and Curtis Granderson had two hits and a walk.

Cardinals starter Marco Gonzales, pitching because Jaime Garcia’s shoulder is ailing, gave up one run, three hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Gonzales could start the season in the rotation, in the bullpen or in the rotation of Triple-A Memphis.

“I think those are three viable options,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

STARTING TIME

Mets: Collins wasn’t ready to say Gee will be in his starting rotation. “We’re going to wait a while,” Collins said. “We’ve got (Rafael Montero) tomorrow so we are excited to see that and we’ll make a decision as we go.”

Cardinals: Sunday’s start was the final in the Grapefruit League for Gonzales but he’ll likely get the ball on Friday when the Cardinals play an exhibition game at Memphis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Closer Bobby Parnell, returning from Tommy John surgery last April, threw 16 pitches in a minor league game and is on pace to make his 2015 debut in May. Second baseman Daniel Murphy took at-bats in a minor league game again on Sunday but can’t run because of a sore hamstring.

Cardinals: Garcia is expected to meet with team doctors in the coming days. The club doesn’t have a time table for Garcia’s return to the mound.

SITUATIONAL PLAY

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny will try to use his bench players as frequently as possible in situations they’ll encounter in the regular season during the final week of spring training. That will mean bringing left-handed reliever Randy Choate into games to face left-handed hitters. Choate allowed a double to Granderson and, following an intentional walk, an RBI single to Duda.

NO CONCERN FOR WONG

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, who is hitting .147, was given a day off. “He’s doing a lot of little things right,” Matheny said. “He’s not had a lot of results.”

CARDS MOVES

St. Louis optioned catcher Ed Easley, infielder Dean Anna and Xavier Scruggs to Memphis. The Cardinals also reassigned infielder Jacob Wilson to minor league camp.

UP NEXT

Michael Wacha is to make his final spring training start Monday against Washington and Taylor Jordan. The Mets play Miami and Dan Haren.

— Associated Press —