>>Martinez Cools Off Red Hot Pirates

In his final start before the All-Star break, Carlos Martinez was impressive in the St. Louis Cardinals' 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday.

Martinez (10-3) is one of five players fans can vote for as the last player to make the NL All-Star team. In his 10th straight quality start, Martinez pitched through a 36-minute rain delay and came out stronger after the break, scattering four hits and two walks over 7 1/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts.

Yadier Molina and Matt Carpenter each hit RBI singles in the four-game series opener.

Jeff Locke (5-5) was not as strong coming out of the break, allowing four runs -- one earned -- on five hits and three walks in five innings.

Andrew McCutchen's ninth-inning home run accounted for Pittsburgh's only run.

Martinez was in trouble early in the game, but timely double plays helped keep Pittsburgh off the board. In the first, the Pirates had runners on the corners with none out when McCutchen grounded a ball to third base.

Mark Reynolds was content to concede the run and turn the double play, but Gregory Polanco hesitated running home. Instead of turning the double play at second base, Carpenter fired to the plate, and Molina tagged out Polanco for a key out.

In his first inning out of the delay, Martinez faced two runners in scoring position with none out and Pedro Alvarez at the plate. Alvarez rocketed a 3-0 pitch up the middle, but Martinez reacted to make the catch and throw to third to double up the runner.

Martinez then retired 12 in a row before a one-out double in the eighth ended his night.

The Cardinals scored all four of their runs in the fifth. After Randal Grichuk's single, Jordy Mercer committed an error to allow a second runner to reach. After Martinez bunted them into scoring position, Carpenter delivered his two-run single. Locke walked Jason Heyward to reload the bases, and Molina drove in St. Louis' third and fourth runs with a single up the middle.

McCutchen's 11th home run created a save situation for Trevor Rosenthal with an out in the ninth, and the Cardinals' closer struck out both batters he faced for his 26th save.

National League Scoreboard
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Miami 2, Cincinnati 0
Los Angeles 6, Philadelphia 0
Colorado 5, Atlanta 3

>>Samardzija, Sox Blanks Blue Jays

Jeff Samardzija threw his second career shutout in the Chicago White Sox's 2-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday afternoon.

Samardzija (6-4) did not allow his first hit until the sixth and scattered four hits and a walk over his nine innings with five strikeouts to help Chicago win three games in its four-game set with Toronto.

The White Sox scored both of their runs in the sixth inning, first on a wild pitch and then on Melky Cabrera's solo home run.

R.A. Dickey (3-10) became the first 10-game loser in the AL despite a solid outing, allowing both Chicago runs on four hits and two walks in seven innings with six strikeouts.

Although he had a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings, Samardzija was the first pitcher to get in trouble when back-to-back singles by Ryan Goins and Devon Travis put two on for the Blue Jays. He was then able to get Josh Donaldson to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Adam Eaton led off the home half of the sixth with a triple. After Abreu struck out, a Dickey wild pitch allowed Eaton to score. Just two pitches later, Cabrera hit his fourth home run of the season for a 2-0 White Sox lead.

Travis collected his second hit of the game to lead off the ninth, but again, Samardzija induced a double play from Donaldson to erase the baserunner. He then got Jose Bautista to swing through a 3-2 breaking ball to end the game, his sixth career complete game.

American League Scoreboard
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New York 6, Oakland 2
Kansas City 8, Tampa Bay 3
Cleveland 3, Houston 1
Detroit 4, Minnesota 2
Seattle 7, LA Angels of Anaheim 2

>>Mets Rookie Sensation Matz Has Muscle Tear

New York Mets pitcher Steven Matz was diagnosed with a partial tear of the lat muscle on his left side Thursday and will not throw for three weeks.

The 24-year-old rookie received a PRP injection Thursday and will be re-examined at a later date.

Matz dealt with a sore lat muscle following his major league debut against the Reds on June 28, but was cleared to pitch. He went 2-0 with a 1.32 earned-run average over his first two career starts.

Prior to his call-up from Triple-A Las Vegas, Matz led the Pacific Coast League in both earned run average (2.19) and strikeouts (94) while posting a 7-4 record in 15 games (14 starts) this season. The 2009 second-round pick owns a 2.28 ERA over 66 career professional appearances, all but one of which have been starts.

>>Yankees OF Gardner To Replace Royals' OF Gordon on All-Star Roster

New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner will replace Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon on the American League roster for the upcoming All-Star Game.

Gordon went on the disabled list Thursday with a groin strain.

Entering Thursday's game against Oakland, Gardner was batting .278 with a .378 on-base percentage and 33 extra-base hits -- including nine home runs -- in 78 games this season.

Gardner was one of five players vying for the Final Vote spot on the American League roster, along with Kansas City's Mike Moustakas, Detroit's Yoenis Cespedes, Minnesota's Brian Dozier and Boston's Xander Bogaerts.

Gordon injured his groin in Wednesday's win over Tampa Bay chasing a fly ball that resulted in an inside-the-park home run for Logan Forsythe. He is expected to miss eight weeks.

Baltimore's Adam Jones will replace Gordon in the AL starting lineup in Tuesday's All-Star Game.