Perhaps the most puzzling aspects of the Cardinals’ often confounding season is that prized righthanders Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez, All-Stars last season, have lost eight decisions in a row — four by each. On April 26, after Martinez had pitched eight scoreless innings at Arizona, the twosome was 6-0 — with Martinez having scored four of those wins.
Wacha, having lasted just four innings in both of his last two starts, now is 2-4 and was rescued by his offense on Thursday when he was headed for another defeat. Martinez, who has pitched longer than five innings in only one of his last four starts, is 4-4 after an 11-7 loss to Arizona at Busch Stadium Friday night.