Cardinals shutting down Martinez with shoulder injury

On Friday in Milwaukee, Martinez exited his outing against the Brewers after throwing just seven pitches.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez, center, prepares to leave a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning on Friday, September 25, 2015, in St. Louis.

Lackey starts Sunday’s series finale when St. Louis hosts the Milwaukee Brewers while trying to fend off the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Central. The Brewers ended a four-game losing streak against St. Louis. Appearing in 21 September games, Rogers is now batting.488 for the month, with two home runs and nine RBIs.

The Cardinals’ NL Central lead is three games over Pittsburgh. The teams meet Monday through Wednesday at PNC Park in a three-game series that could serve as the clincher for the Cardinals, or perhaps introduce some last-weekend drama into the mix. Then Stephen Piscotty popped out to end the threat and keep the score at 3-3. “I let my team down right there”.

“I know the fact they came back and ran him through all the tests and weren’t overly concerned with what they saw, that’s a good thing, ” the manager added.

Randal Grichuk has jacked 17 homers in 307 at-bats despite missing three weeks with a right elbow inflammation, rising from a fourth outfielder role to a feared power bat.

Manager Mike Matheny said Martinez was “broken up” by the news. For Sunday’s game the Cardinals s art John Lackey who has allowed 202 hits and 63 earned runs while striking out 164 over 207 innings for a 13-9 record and a 2.74 ERA.

“It seems like there was a period where we were just as good on the road, too”, Matheny said. “It’s just a matter of getting medical clearance”.

“Given where we are now in the season”, the medical staff believes it is in the long-term interest of his career to shut him down, the GM said.

“Every loss has the same feeling, we’re not going to dwell on it”, Carpenter said.

Rookie starter Tyler Wagner (0-1) gave up six hits and five runs over four innings in his second big league start for the Brewers (65-90).

Martinez has emerged in the absence of staff ace Adam Wainwright this season, posting a 3.01 ERA and 184/63 K/BB ratio in 179 2/3 innings over 29 starts and two relief appearances.

“I don’t think I was as comfortable as I would have liked to be”, the 24-year-old Wagner said.