ST. LOUIS (AP) - Allen Craig and Matt Adams each had two RBI and the St. Louis Cardinals got effective work from rookie pitchers subbing for ace Adam Wainwright in a 6-2 victory against the New York Mets on Monday night.
Carlos Martinez allowed an unearned run in four innings in his second career start and Nick Greenwood (1-0) allowed a run on two hits in 31-3 innings to win in his major league debut for St. Louis, which has won seven of eight.
Wainwright (9-3, 2.15) is skipping a turn to allow for tendinitis in the back of his elbow to subside. He is expected to return Saturday against the Phillies.
Matt Holliday had two hits, including a single for his 1,000th career RBI in a four-run fifth that put the Cardinals up 6-1.
Mets manager Terry Collins batted the pitcher eighth for the first time in franchise history, but the novel lineup with rookie pitcher Jacob deGrom batting eighth and Eric Young Jr. ninth mustered just five hits. New York has lost 10 of 13, scoring two or fewer runs six times.
Adams homered his first three games coming off the 15-day disabled list from a strained left calf. He settled for an RBI sinlge and RBIE triple. Monday and stung the ball all four at-bats.
DeGrom (0-4) gave up six runs on 12 hits in 41-3 innings in his seventh career start, all three numbers statistical low points. He handled the bat fine, with a sacrifice bunt in the third and a broken-bat liner to second with the base loaded in the fourth after Ruben Tejada was intentionally walked.
Young, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, had an infield hit to help manufacture a run in the third. But Martinez struck him out to end the fourth.
The 22-year-old Martinez is one of the Cardinals' top rotation prospects with a fastball that registered triple digits in the first inning. He's been a setup man most of the year with a previous long outing of 22-3 innings and needed just 14 pitches to retire the Mets in order the first two innings.
The Cardinals selected the 26-year-old Greenwood's contract from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday to provide support behind Martinez.
The 25-year-old deGrom has allowed 13 runs on 26 hits in 15 innings his last three starts.
Seth Maness retired the last four hitters in order for his first save, also his first chance of the season.
Notes: The Cardinals are 19-2 against the NL East at home the last two seasons. ... Michael Wacha (4-5, 2.88) opposes Jon Niese (3-3, 2.54) today.