Cards' Martinez does it all in final spring tuneup

March 27th, 2017

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- allowed three hits and two runs in five innings, and tripled and scored in the second inning to lead the Cardinals past the Astros, 3-2, on Monday night at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
The Cardinals strung together three consecutive hits against Astros starter in the first, including an RBI single by Matt Adams.
The Astros took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning when led off with a single, moved to third on a double by and scored on a groundout. then drove in Bregman with a sacrifice fly.

McHugh, making his first start in Grapefruit League play after suffering arm fatigue earlier in the spring, issued a one-out walk in the second to , who scored on Wong's triple to right to tie the game. Martinez shot a single to right to score Wong and make it 3-2.
Martinez's five-inning start was his final tuneup before he takes the ball on Sunday to start the Cardinals' opener against the Cubs. He said he'll start studying film and piecing together his game plan with catcher immediately.

"I really feel like I worked through all the pitches that I wanted to and that I had set in my mind," Martinez said, speaking through a translator. "I went through all the preparations I needed to in preparation for Opening Day. I'm going to be ready."
McHugh needed 47 pitches to get through 1 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs. He'll likely stay behind in Florida when the team breaks camp to throw in a Minor League game Saturday and appears headed to the disabled list to start the year.
Cardinals Up Next:'s final start of the spring will come on Tuesday, when the Cardinals travel to Port St. Lucie, Fla., to face the Mets. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. CT, and the game will be on MLB.TV. Third baseman , who bruised his knee on Saturday, is expected back in the lineup.
Astros Up Next: makes his final tuneup before getting the start for the Astros on Opening Day, facing the Marlins at 12:05 p.m. CT Tuesday in Jupiter, Fla., on MLB.TV Keuchel will make his third consecutive Opening Day start on April 3 against the Mariners.
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