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Category: Professional

Royals’ slump continues as they they get swept by Red Sox

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RoyalsBOSTON (AP) — Jon Lester just wants to put up impressive numbers on the mound. He will worry about the figures on his next contract later.

Red Sox fans showed appreciation for his latest brilliant outing with loud applause as he walked to the dugout after his eighth and final inning Sunday.

“I hope people are more pleased with how I’m pitching and not how I’m handling contract stuff,” the All-Star left-hander said after a 6-0 win that gave Boston a three-game sweep over the Kansas City Royals.

Lester, who can become a free agent after the season, allowed no earned runs for the third time in four starts. He struck out eight and gave up two walks and four hits. Only one Royals player reached third base.

Clearly, he hasn’t let the uncertainty over where he will be pitching next season hurt his pitching this season.

“He’s been a model for others to witness as players get to that stage of their career,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “He’s been able to handle it, I think, in a professional manner.”

Lester (10-7) is 4-0 with a 0.85 ERA over his last seven starts with 47 strikeouts and eight walks in a span of 52 2/3 innings. He has yielded just one earned run in 31 innings.

“You’ve got to take each one as an individual,” Lester said. “If I’m out there thinking about what I did last time, I’m not worried about the right things.”

Lester extended his scoreless streak to 14 innings before Junichi Tazawa got the first out of the ninth. Edward Mujica retired the next two batters.

“We matched up against an All-Star pitcher today and he was on top of his game,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Yordano Ventura (7-8) gave up all six runs.

The first scored on Dustin Pedroia’s forceout at second base in the first, Daniel Nava hit a two-run double in the third, and Boston added three in the fourth on David Ross’ two-run homer and Nava’s sacrifice fly.

That was more than enough support for Lester as he keeps building a case for a lucrative contract.

“If these guys are happy with the way I’m throwing and how I’m going about my business, then that’s all I care about,” he said. “The other stuff will take care of itself when the right time comes.”

Boston entered the game in last place in the AL East, percentage points behind Tampa Bay, but won for the seventh time in eight games.

Kansas City went scoreless after losing 2-1 Saturday night. The Royals have lost nine of 12, are 9-17 since a 10-game winning streak, and have scored less than two runs in four of their last six games. They open a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

“You basically just shake it off and get right back out there,” designated hitter Billy Butler said. “We faced a tough left-hander today and it doesn’t get any easier. We face Chris Sale tomorrow.”

The Royals put runners at first and second in the first when Eric Hosmer was hit by a pitch with two outs, and Danny Valencia singled. But Alex Gordon flied to left.

Alcides Escobar was left on base after a one-out single in the second, and Lester retired eight consecutive batters before Escobar led off the fifth with a double. He reached third on a one-out groundout, but the threat ended when Lorenzo Cain flied out, leaving him hitless in 22 at bats.

Hosmer singled with one out in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. After Valencia struck out, Gordon drew a walk, the first issued by Lester in three starts. But Butler grounded out.

Cain walked leading off the eighth, but Lester finished his outing by getting Omar Infante to ground into a double play before fanning Hosmer.

“Jon Lester did a really nice job of holding us down,” Yost said, “mixed in his curveball effectively, spotted his fastball well and used his cutter really well.”

Brock Holt scored Boston’s first run after he and Nava singled. Nava’s double in the third came after a walk to Ross and a single by Jackie Bradley Jr. In the fourth, Shane Victorino doubled and scored on Ross’ sixth homer. Nava’s sacrifice fly drove in Bradley, who had singled.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis falls to LA on Gonzalez’s ninth inning RBI single

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CardsST. LOUIS (AP) — Adrian Gonzalez hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning off St. Louis Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal and the Los Angeles Dodgers salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a 4-3 victory on Sunday night.

The Dodgers pulled into a virtual tie for first place with San Francisco in the NL West despite a so-so outing from Clayton Kershaw, whose run of seven straight starts allowing one or fewer runs came to an end. Yasiel Puig did not play after getting hit by a pitch on the left hand a day earlier and the Dodgers finished without Hanley Ramirez, who was taken out in the ninth — also after getting struck on the left hand. X-rays were negative, but he will be examined again in Pittsburgh.

Gonzalez leads the National League with 38 road RBIs. He missed a chance earlier, flying out with the bases loaded to end the fourth. J.P. Howell (2-3) got the last out in the eighth and Kenley Jansen finished for his 28th save in 31 chances.

Rosenthal (1-5) struggled pitching on the third consecutive day after earning saves the first two games. Peter Bourjos’ two-run homer off Kershaw tied it in the sixth.

Kershaw gave up three runs in seven innings, ending an equally impressive streak of winning eight straight starts. He lost his previous four starts in St. Louis, the past two in the NLCS. Manager Don Mattingly said before the game that he had no doubt that bitterness lingered from Game 6 last fall when Kershaw was tagged for seven runs in four innings and the Dodgers were eliminated.

Kershaw was booed before flying out to end the sixth, a byproduct of dueling hit batsmen two innings earlier. Both benches were warned after Carlos Martinez drilled Ramirez in the shoulder and Matt Holliday was plunked by Kershaw leading off the bottom half.

Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier had consecutive two-out RBI singles in the third to put the Dodgers up 3-1.

The highlight of the Dodgers’ fruitless fourth was Kershaw’s first career stolen base — his first attempt, too. Kershaw was running on a 1-1 pitch in the dirt and took second without a play with two outs and they loaded the bases before Gonzalez flied out.

Shelby Miller had made 50 consecutive starts over two seasons before entering in the sixth, and he was taken out after the first two Dodgers reached in the seventh. Coming out of the All-Star break, Miller was moved to the bullpen.

— Associated Press —

Kansas City drops another one-run game at Boston

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RoyalsBOSTON (AP) — Rubby De La Rosa quietly walked up behind reporters waiting for him and went unnoticed before he got their attention.

His actions are much louder on the Fenway Park mound.

De La Rosa had another strong home start, going seven solid innings to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

“He’s been outstanding at home,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “Even in the couple of situations where we gave an extra baserunner, he shut it down and pitched with a lot of poise tonight.”

Mike Napoli hit a tiebreaking homer, sending the defending World Series champions to their sixth win in seven games. Boston is looking to climb back into the race from the AL East’s basement.

Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games with a single. The Royals lost for the eighth time in 11 games, falling to 10-20 in one-run games after leading the AL with 31 victories last season.

Napoli’s homer cleared a billboard atop the Green Monster seats and completely left the park in the sixth.

De La Rosa (3-2) gave up one run on five hits, walking four and striking out two. He worked out of trouble most of his outing.

“It’s fun to pitch here,” he said. “I feel comfortable here at Fenway. I like the mound. I like the fans. I feel comfortable here.”

Danny Duffy (5-10) allowed two runs — one earned — on six hits in 6⅔ innings. It was his fifth loss in six starts, but he’s allowed two or fewer runs in four of the losses.

“We’re not scoring enough runs. It’s as simple as that,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of the one-run losses. “When we score, we win. Our bullpen does a nice job of holding it close. It’s a combination of not capitalizing on opportunities, and we had opportunities tonight, a couple of them.”

The Royals have scored four total runs, and not more than one in any of Duffy’s past five losses.

“I don’t even think about it that way,” he said. “These guys in here got my back day in and day out.”

Andrew Miller pitched a perfect eighth and All-Star Koji Uehara a 1-2-3 ninth for his 20th save in 22 chances.

In two of his three home starts, De La Rosa pitched seven shutout innings. In his last one, he gave up three runs in five innings.

De La Rosa stranded runners at second base in four of the first six innings, twice also leaving a runner on first.

“I didn’t try to think about me on base,” he said, flashing a quick smile. “I try to think about the next hitter.”

The Royals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third when Jarrod Dyson tripled and scored on shortstop Omar Infante’s sacrifice fly.

Infante’s fielding error allowed Boston’s tying run in the fourth. With runners on first and second, Infante had Shane Victorino’s probable inning-ending, double-play grounder go right through his legs, scoring Napoli.

Boston left fielder Jonny Gomes bumped into shortstop Brock Holt, dropping a ball for a two-base error in the fourth, and called off Holt, but had the ball fall in front of him for a double in the fifth.

— Associated Press —

Sporting KC edges Los Angeles 2-1

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SKCKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Benny Feilhaber and Lawrence Olum both had goals and Sporting Kansas City defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday.

Sporting (10-5-5) extended its unbeaten streak to six games, while Galaxy’s eight-game unbeaten streak was broken.

In the 11th minute, Feilhaber opened the scoring, drilling a free kick from just outside the box into the upper left corner past Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.

Sporting made it 2-0 in the 60th minute. Graham Zusi’s cross was headed by Jacob Peterson — which was blocked by Penedo — but the rebound came straight to Olum who headed it past a sprawled Penedo.

Zusi and Matt Besler signed long-term designated player contracts to remain with K.C. earlier in the day. Both players had received interest from abroad after their strong performances in Brazil.

Robbie Keane cut the Galaxy (7-4-6) deficit in the 79th minute with his 10th goal of the season off a corner kick.

Andy Gruenebaum filled in for Sporting’s starting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, who is out with a fractured bone in his left hand suffered Wednesday at practice.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals score early, hold off LA for second straight win

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CardsST. LOUIS (AP) — After stumbling in his first start following three months on the disabled list, Joe Kelly tinkered with his mechanics.

Kelly bounced back with seven strong innings and Matt Adams homered in a four-run first as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Saturday to send All-Star Zack Greinke to losses in consecutive regular-season starts for the first time in nearly four years.

Kelly (2-1) gave up four hits over seven innings, retiring his last 13 batters as the Cardinals won for the eighth time in 10 games.

Kelly didn’t get a decision on July 11 in his return from a strained left hamstring, when he gave up six runs over three innings during the Cardinals’ 7-6 win at Milwaukee. After winning for the first time since April 5, he wouldn’t detail his changes.

“I did a lot of stuff different, but I’m not going to give it away,” he said. “If you watch the video, you can probably tell.”

Kelly induced 12 groundouts and got out of trouble with double plays in each of the first two innings.

“I was just trying to mix up pitches and hide stuff better,” he said.

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny was impressed with Kelly’s ability to keep the ball down.

“I thought it was one of his better pitching performances,” Matheny said. “There were times when I even thought his changeup was a breaking ball. It has so much depth to it. So his secondary pitches were on.”

The Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez thought Kelly had great pitch location.

“He didn’t throw any balls in the middle of the plate,” he said. “He kept throwing his fastballs right on the corner. There weren’t any pitches to drive.”

Trevor Rosenthal, the Cardinals’ third reliever, got his 30th save in 34 chances when Andre Ethier grounded into a game-ending double play.

Coming off a July 9 defeat at Detroit, Greinke (11-6) walked a season-high five and gave up four runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He had not lost back-to-back starts in the regular season since Sept. 20 and 25, 2010, for Kansas City at Detroit and Cleveland, according to STATS.

Greinke did lose his regular-season finale against Colorado last year and was beaten by Atlanta in his first postseason start.

“Too many mistakes in one inning,” Greinke said. “I’ve been doing that too much lately, getting behind in a game too early. I need to find a way to be better right from the get-go.”

St. Louis improved to 21-10 at home against the Dodgers in the regular season since the start of the 2006. The Cardinals also beat Los Angeles in six games in last year’s NL championship series.

Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday left the game in the fifth, four innings after he was shaken up while diving back into second base on a pickoff attempt. The Cardinals said team doctors determined Holliday did not sustain a concussion.

Dodgers All-Star outfielder Yasiel Puig left in the eighth, five innings after he was hit on the left hand by a Kelly pitch. Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said Puig got hit, “near the top or on the side a little bit.”

Both players were considered day-to-day.

Matt Carpenter opened the Cardinals’ first with a walk, and Kolten Wong reached on a slow roller when second baseman Dee Gordon threw wide of first, a play ruled a hit and an error that put runners on second and third,

Holliday followed with a two-run single and Adams hit his 12th homer on Greinke’s 16th pitch of the game.

Adams, who has 15 hits in his last 39 at-bats, drilled a line drive over the right-field wall.

“The curveball just popped up in the zone,” Adams said. “When it does that, you know it’s a good one to swing at.”

Greinke said Adams outsmarted him.

“I was just trying to be aggressive and it was the wrong choice,” he said. “Usually, he’s kind of patient early.”

Los Angeles, which has lost five of eight, scored on Hanley Ramirez’s RBI infield single in the third and Carl Crawford’s sacrifice fly against Sam Freeman in the eighth.

The Dodgers have only 12 runs in their last seven games.

“It just tells us that we’ve got to get better,” Mattingly said.

— Associated Press —

Sporting Kansas City locks up World Cup stars Zusi, Besler

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SKCKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Two of the U.S. team’s breakout stars from the World Cup will keep playing at home.

Graham Zusi and Matt Besler signed long-term designated player contracts to remain with MLS Cup champion Sporting Kansas City, the club announced Saturday night. Both players had received interest from abroad after their strong performances in Brazil.

“Graham and Matt have both proven over the past almost six seasons that they are core players within this club,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said shortly before Saturday night’s game versus the Los Angeles Galaxy.

“They have had a tremendous impact on creating a winning culture, and these agreements keep us on the path of attaining our goals and expectations.”

The designated-player rule, which was put in place before the 2007 season, allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose salaries exceed their budget charges. The club is then responsible for the amount of compensation above each player’s budget charge.

In according with league and club policy, specific terms of the deals were not disclosed.

“Getting these deals completed is extremely beneficial for the organization and the two players,” Vermes said in a statement. “I want to thank the ownership group for their continued vision and commitment to securing both players for the long term.”

Zusi appeared in all four games for the U.S. in Brazil, contributing assists in back-to-back games in the group stage against Ghana and Portugal. The 27-year-old midfielder, also a three-time MLS All-Star, has scored three goals in 27 career games for the national team.

He’s been Sporting KC’s most valuable player the past two seasons, and last year was chosen as the team’s top offensive player. He was also nominated for best MLS player at the recent ESPYs.

The former University of Maryland standout needed eight corner kicks heading into Saturday night’s game to surpass Preki for the most in club history. He’s also tied for third on the team’s career assists chart with 35, and his 15 game-winning assists are third-most in franchise history.

“This is where I have always wanted to be,” said Zusi, who just signed a new contract last year that would have kept him with Sporting KC through 2017. “I’ve always respected players who have played their entire career with one team and I look forward to a long career in Kansas City.”

While Zusi has spent his entire career in Kansas City, Besler has spent most of his life there.

He grew up in the suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, starred at Notre Dame and quietly became one of Major League Soccer’s best defenders. But it was his sterling performance in Brazil, where he started all four games for the U.S., which opened the eyes of clubs in Europe. He confirmed interest earlier this week from English Premier League Clubs Sunderland and Fulham.

The 27-year-old Besler was under contract through next season, but the building interest from abroad made it prudent for Sporting KC to agree to a long-term deal that almost certainly includes a significant bump from his $220,000 salary.

“This is a dream come to true to know that I’ll be playing my whole career in Kansas City,” Besler said. “A lot of factors went into this decision, but the ownership and the great fans played a huge part. Now, there is a responsibility to go forward to keep pushing this team farther.”

— Associated Press —

Royals blow 4-1 lead Friday, lose at Boston

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RoyalsBOSTON (AP) — Jonny Gomes hit a go-ahead two-run pinch homer in the sixth after another two-run shot in the inning by Xander Bogaerts and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Friday night.

The Red Sox maintained their momentum after winning four of their last five games before the All-Star game. They entered the break in last place in the AL East but were coming off Clay Buchholz’s 11-0 complete-game win over Houston, their season high for runs.

Buchholz (5-5) allowed four runs in six innings against Kansas City. Koji Uehara allowed Omar Infante’s two-out double in the ninth but got his 19th save in 21 chances.

Scott Downs (0-3) gave up the homer to Gomes, the first batter he faced after replacing James Shields.

Eric Hosmer had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals as he extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

Daniel Nava started Boston’s four-run rally with a one-out single that slid out of left fielder Alex Gordon’s glove as he dove. Bogaerts was in a 14 for 123 (.114) slump, but hit Shields’ 1-1 pitch into the center-field bleachers.

That cut the deficit to 4-3 and Stephen Drew, batting .158 in 29 games since joining the Red Sox in late May, followed with a ground-rule double. After David Ross struck out, lefty Downs came in to face lefty Jackie Bradley Jr.

But the right-handed Gomes pinch hit and drove a 2-2 pitch to nearly the same spot where Bogaerts’ homer landed. It was Gomes’ sixth homer of the year and his second as a pinch hitter.

The Royals had taken a 1-0 lead in the first on a double by Infante and an RBI single by Hosmer.

The Red Sox tied it in the second when Bogaerts reached first on a throwing error by shortstop Infante, and Drew and Brock Holt singled.

Kansas City made it 3-1 in the fourth on run-scoring singles by Salvador Perez and Gordon than added a run in the fifth on Hosmer’s RBI single.

David Ortiz led off the third for Boston and was out on a strange play.

He hit a towering popup to the first-base side of the mound. Shields appeared uncomfortable trying to catch it so first baseman Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas raced in to help. Hosmer raised his glove, but the ball ticked off it and Moustakas cradled it for the out.

More strange glove work occurred in the top of the fourth when Hosmer hit the ball sharply down the first-base line.

A ball girl, seated beside the low fence in foul territory, fielded it cleanly then quickly dropped it. It was too late, though, and Infante, who had singled, was stopped at third while Hosmer reached second. Both ended up scoring anyway on the singles by Perez and Gordon.

— Associated Press —

Holliday powers St. Louis past Dodgers, 3-2

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CardsST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Holliday homered and doubled with three RBIs, and Lance Lynn won his third straight start for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

Kolten Wong had two hits and scored on both of Holliday’s RBI hits for the Cardinals against the team they beat in the NLCS last fall. They have won six of eight and remained a game behind the Brewers for the NL Central lead.

A.J. Ellis had an RBI double for the Dodgers, battling the Giants for the NL West lead. They remained offensively challenged coming out of the All-Star break, totaling 10 runs the last six games.

Holliday’s seventh homer, estimated at 435 feet to straightaway center, came off Dan Haren (8-7).

Lynn (11-6) gave up two runs on four hits in six-plus innings. He struck out nine and worked around four walks, which tied his season high.

Lynn has 44 wins the last three seasons, one behind Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright for most in the league. He bounced back from season worsts of two innings and six earned runs at Los Angeles on June 28 before leaving with a blister.

Haren piled up 99 pitches in 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, and is among the National League leaders with 20 homers allowed. He’s totaled 8 2/3 innings his last two starts and has lost his last three outings overall.

The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the third when Matt Kemp struck out. The Cardinals stranded three in the fourth when Lynn bounced out after an intentional walk to Tony Cruz.

Consecutive doubles by Juan Uribe and Ellis leading off the seventh chased Lynn. Ellis scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to one.

The Dodgers stranded two against Pat Neshek in the eighth and Trevor Rosenthal had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his 29th save in 33 chances.

— Associated Press —

KC avoids 4-game sweep as they rally past Detroit

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RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Despite being only two games above .500 and facing a 6.5-game deficit against first-place Detroit, the Kansas City Royals believe they have their rivals right where they want them.

Judging by recent history, maybe they do.

A five-run seventh inning keyed by Omar Infante’s two-run single and an RBI double from Eric Hosmer enabled the Royals to avoid a demoralizing four-game sweep against the Tigers on Sunday.

It also brought to mind the league-best 33-20 mark they logged last season after stumbling into the All-Star break on a five-game losing streak.

“We’re eight games better than we were at this time last year,” manager Ned Yost said. “And we’re a second-half team. We’ve always been a second-half team.”

Exactly why they seem to play better after the break, no one seems to know.

“I’m not sure,” designated hitter Billy Butler said. “The season’s long, It wears on guys as they get older. We’re young. And sometimes I think as guys get older … I don’t know.”

But he does know last year’s second-half surge makes this year’s challenge seem less daunting.

“We’re just better the second half. It’s our track record and we’re starting to count on it.”

Four of the seventh-inning runs were charged to Justin Verlander (8-8), who started the inning with a two-hit shutout but loaded the bases on three straight singles.

“Things were going well for us and we ran into the seventh,” said Verlander, who lost for just the fifth time in 15 decisions in Kauffman Stadium. “A couple of balls fell in the right spots and I’m out of the ballgame. They were able to find some spots.”

Since June 18 when K.C. beat the Tigers for their 10th straight win and went a season-best seven games over .500, the Royals have gone 9-14 while the Tigers went 17-6.

Verlander gave up six hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out three and walked one.

Yordano Ventura (7-7) pitched 1 2/3 innings in his first career relief appearance and got the win.

He allowed one hit and struck out three for the Royals, who beat the Tigers for only the first time in seven tries this year at home.

Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his 25th save in 26 opportunities.

After Raul Ibanez loaded the bases in the seventh with a single that snapped a 0-for-25 skid, Alcides Escobar brought in a run with a slow-rolling infield single that second baseman Ian Kinsler failed to pick up cleanly. A second run then scored on Jarrod Dyson’s fielder’s choice.

Ian Krol replaced Verlander and after intentionally walking pinch hitter Salvador Perez, gave up a two-run single to Omar Infante that made it 4-2.

“I waited for that pitch and made good contact,” Infante said.

Hosmer’s double stretched his career-best hitting streak to 13 games.

Rajai Davis and Austin Jackson opened the third with back-to-back singles and the Tigers took a 2-0 lead on Miguel Cabrera’s sacrifice fly and a two-out bloop single by J.D. Martinez, which fell in between shortstop Escobar and left fielder Ibanez as Jackson came around from first.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis drops series finale at Milwaukee 11-2

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CardsMILWAUKEE (AP) — The end of a seven-game losing streak lifted the spirits of the Milwaukee Brewers.

An 11-2 win Sunday over the St. Louis Cardinals gave manager Ron Roenicke’s team a one-game lead in the NL Central at the All-Star break. A team that has also had to cope with the death of shortstop Jean Segura’s 9-month-old son now gets a breather for a few days.

With Segura home on bereavement leave, Elian Herrera had a career-best five hits a day after being called up from the minors to take Segura’s roster spot. The offense tied a season high with 19 hits to back a strong seven-inning outing by starter Wily Peralta.

“Somebody had to step up. … That’s huge for us, for everybody. It lets us go into the break like that and still in first place,” said Peralta (10-6), who allowed three hits and struck out five before departing after seven innings because of a minor leg cramp.

Like Segura, Peralta is from the Dominican Republic. The pitcher was heading home for the break, and he was planning to text Roenicke to let him know how Segura was doing.

The morning started with the Brewers organization holding its annual Family Day outing, when players and coaches can bring their children to the ballpark. Players were smiling alongside their sons and daughters on a sunny afternoon, and Roenicke hoped the day would create a diversion from the team’s roughest patch of the season.

All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy said he thought the family time possibly helped the squad.

“But it doesn’t matter if you’re winning or losing whenever you’re with your family,” Lucroy said. “It is a business and it is a job we have to perform, but ultimately the goal is to provide for our family, and family is most important.”

Peralta allowed just three singles and gave up his only run after Kolten Wong reached first on a passed ball despite striking out. Wong eventually scored on Matt Adams’ groundout.

Peralta got a defensive boost with a runner on base in the fifth when left fielder Khris Davis made an over-the-shoulder catch on Jon Jay’s fly to the warning track with a man on first.

“I had to step in like an extra gear … just kind of a lucky play,” Davis said. “A big play with the runner on first, he’s probably going to score.”

Davis hit his team-high 15th homer in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-1 lead.

For the Cardinals, a frustrated Carlos Martinez (2-4) allowed four runs in four innings.

Making his seventh career start, Martinez gave up three walks and a balk while also hitting Carlos Gomez with a pitch in the fourth. Gomez then scored on Scooter Gennett’s two-out, two-run double down the left-field line for a 4-1 lead.

Martinez flicked his head back in frustration as he watched the ball take a tricky carom off the side wall on outfielder Matt Holliday.

An inning earlier, Martinez tossed his bat behind his back in the direction of home plate after grounding out, leading umpire Jeff Nelson to raise his arms and stare at the 22-year-old pitcher for a few seconds.

“I tried to throw the bat to the ground. I don’t know if it was emotion,” Martinez said through an interpreter. “I went to the umpire and said I was sorry. It was just frustration.”

Manager Mike Matheny said Martinez was having a tough time “finding anything.”

“He’s trying to harness his emotions a little bit, which will harness his control,” Matheny said. “It was a rough day for him. It’s one of those learning points.”

Milwaukee added three runs off the Cardinals bullpen to stretch the lead to 8-1 in a sixth-inning burst started by Herrera’s double. The Brewers are in first place at the All-Star break for just the fourth time in franchise history.

— Associated Press —

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