Michael Wacha threw a three-hitter for his first career shutout, Matt Carpenter had four hits, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Mets at New York.

Wacha (7-3) has won his last four starts. He struck out eight and walked one in his 99th career start.

The 26-year-old right-hander, who was ineffective last season, had not won four straight starts since the 2013 playoffs when he helped lead St. Louis to the World Series.

Wacha and the Cardinals capitalized on a shoddy Mets defense that let down starter Rafael Montero (1-6) with three errors. Montero allowed four runs, two earned, in six innings. New York has lost three straight and eight of 11.

DIAMONDBACKS 11, REDS 2: Chris Herrmann capped a six-run fifth inning with a two-run homer, and Arizona slugged its way past the Cincinnati Reds shortly after trading for slugger J.D. Martinez.

Rey Fuentes added a pinch-hit, three-run shot in the seventh, All-Star outfielder Jake Lamb had a two-run triple and Arizona ended a five-game skid by tying a season high with nine extra-base hits one from each spot in the order. The Diamondbacks had four doubles in the fifth, helping overcome Zack Cozarts 10th homer of the season.

PHILLIES 5, MARLINS 2: Maikel Franco had three hits, including a tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning, to help lead Philadelphia past the Marlins at Miami.

National League home run leader Giancarlo Stanton hit his 29th for the Marlins, who have lost four of five.

Francos homer to left field off Dustin McGowan (5-1) was his 14th of the season and it broke a 2-all tie.

ORIOLES 12, RANGERS 1: Chris Davis homered in a six-run first inning, added a grand slam in the fourth and finished with a career-high six RBIs to help the Orioles breeze past Texas at Baltimore.

It was the 19th career multihomer game for Davis, making his fifth start since coming off the disabled list with an oblique strain. Baltimores cleanup hitter hadnt gone deep since June 10 and has 16 home runs after hitting 38 last season.

TIGERS 9, ROYALS 3: Nicholas Castellanos homered twice and drove in five runs, Detroit scored five times in the second inning and the Tigers cruised from there at Kansas City.

After trading slugger J.D. Martinez to Arizona for a package of prospects before the game, the Tigers proved they didnt need him in the lineup at least for one night to win their fourth straight game.

ASTROS 6, MARINERS 2: Evan Gattis homered twice to back up a solid start by Brad Peacock and help the Astros defeat Seattle at Houston.

Gattis hit solo shots in the second and sixth innings off Sam Gaviglio (3-5) for the eighth multihomer game of his career.

Peacock (8-1) allowed three hits and one run while fanning nine in seven innings to tie the longest start of his career and earn his fifth straight win. Luke Gregerson got the last four outs for his first save.

Originally posted here:

Wacha puts the Mets into trance - Journal Times