JUPITER, Fla. • Jose Martinez, who was out a couple of games with groin spasms, returned as the Cardinals’ designated hitter Thursday and crashed a two-run opposite-field homer to tie the game with the Miami Marlins at 4-4 in the seventh inning.
The Cardinals then went ahead to stay at 5-4 in the eighth when, with one out, Randy Arozarena tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by fellow Cuban outfielder Adolis Garcia. Garcia, 10 for 27 this spring, had tripled and scored in the seventh before Martinez hit his first homer of the spring.
Carlos Martinez, not at top form but effective enough, lasted 68 pitches, covering four innings, in his second official start of the spring.