BALTIMORE (AP) — Carlos Martinez struck out eight over six sharp innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals hit a season-high five home runs in an 11-2 rout of the struggling Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
Rookie Paul DeJong homered, singled twice, scored three runs and had three RBIs to help St. Louis snap a three-game skid.
Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler connected in succession to cap a four-run sixth inning, Tommy Pham hit a two-run drive in the seventh and Jedd Gyorko added a solo shot in the ninth.
Coming off a four-hit shutout against Philadelphia, Martinez (6-5) gave up one run and four hits. The right-hander has 45 strikeouts over his last five starts.
The Cardinals arrived at Camden Yards having lost 10 of their previous 14 games, but their breakdown was certainly no worse than that of the Orioles, who were 25-16 on May 20 and now stand at 32-34.
Trey Mancini hit his 11th home run for Baltimore, an anticlimactic drive with two outs in the ninth.
Kevin Gausman (3-6) allowed five runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. He was replaced by Gabriel Ynoa, who yielded three home runs.
After a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado got Baltimore to 2-1 in the third, DeJong hit a two-run drive in the fourth.
An RBI single by DeJong, a two-run drive by Carpenter and Fowler’s home run made it 8-1 in the sixth.
Carpenter went 2 for 3 and is 17 for 38 (.447) since he moved into the leadoff spot on June 7.
ROSTER MOVES
The Orioles placed RHP Mike Wright (right shoulder bursitis) on the 10-day disabled list, optioned RHP Jimmy Yacabonis to Triple-A Norfolk and recalled relievers Vidal Nuño and Ynoa.
NUMBER CHANGE
Cardinals reliever Brett Cecil switched from No. 21 to 27, the number he wore with Toronto. The number became open after Jhonny Peralta was released Tuesday.
JIMENEZ TO START
Dropped from the rotation last month, Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez gets another chance to start on Sunday. “”Ubaldo has responded well to some time in the bullpen. We’ll see if that happens again,” manager Buck Showalter said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: The Cardinals wonder if RHP Michael Wacha’s poor start against Milwaukee on Thursday (four innings, four runs) could be attributed to an injury. “First thing we always do is go to health,” manager Mike Matheny said. “We’ll get hands on and get him evaluated.”
Orioles: Closer Zach Britton (left forearm strain) will launch his rehabilitation assignment by pitching for Class A Aberdeen on Monday. … RHP Darren O’Day (right shoulder strain) threw on Thursday. “No pain, no problems,” Showalter said.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (7-4, 4.73 ERA) makes his first career start against the Orioles on Saturday, the only major league team he hasn’t faced.
Orioles: Wade Miley (2-4, 3.97 ERA) makes his 14th start of the season and fifth of his career against the Cardinals, a team he last faced in 2014.
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