a decision that becomes a little more tantalizing with each victory.

CINCINNATI -- Carlos Martinez kept getting himself into trouble and his defense kept bailing him out.Randal Grichuk and Kolten Wong homered, and Martinez carried a shutout into the seventh inning with the help of some timely double plays as the St. Louis Cardinals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.Every time a runner gets on base, I just increase my focus, Martinez said. I was a little bit fatigued, but I never lost focus.Yadier Molina had two of the five hits for the Cardinals, who avoided being swept in Cincinnati for the first time since July 2012.St. Louis began the day with a one-game lead over the Mets for the final NL playoff spot. New York was set to host Washington later.Martinez (13-7) allowed three hits and all of his season-high five walks over six scoreless innings before the Reds reached him for three hits and two runs to knock him out of the game three batters into the seventh. He struck out six while improving to 8-1 in 13 road starts this season.Cincinnati went on to load the bases with one out against reliever Zack Duke before Scott Schebler flied out. Left fielder Brandon Moss, who went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, threw out Tyler Holt at the plate -- the third of four Cardinals double plays, tying their season high.That was a big play, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. When a guy is struggling to put together at-bats, its important to come up big in big situations. That was a nice tag by (Molina), too.Reds manager Bryan Price had no problem with the speedy Holt trying to score.Offensively, were down by three runs and you think youre going to be conservative, but you still have to score runs, Price said. Moss makes a nice play. We had to take a chance with two outs.Seung Hwan Oh allowed a leadoff single in the ninth before getting three outs for his 15th save.Tim Adleman (2-3) gave up both Cardinals home runs while matching his career high with six strikeouts in his first career appearance against St. Louis. He allowed four hits and three runs with a walk in five innings.Outside of a few pitches, I did a pretty good job of minimizing damage, Adleman said. It was better today. I wasnt in a lot of jams today. The first (home run) in the second inning, the pitch got too much of the plate. Maybe in another park, it doesnt go out. I dont know. The second one to Wong was a curve over the plate. You have to tip your hat. He did what he was supposed to with it.Grichuk followed Stephen Piscottys double with his 21st homer this season and second of the series, giving St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Grichuk also homered on Friday.Wong made it 3-0 by leading off the fifth with his fourth homer this season and second on the road trip. He also connected Monday in Milwaukee.First baseman Joey Vottos error and pitcher Jumbo Diazs error and wild pitch helped St. Louis add two unearned runs in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.CLOCKWORKFireworks were set off every hour on the hour outside the ballpark as crowds gathered for the citys annual pre-Labor Day Riverfest fireworks show. The 40-year-old event has been known to draw crowds of up to 500,000 people on the banks of the Ohio River. World War II-era warplanes also buzzed the ballpark before and during the game.AND COUNTINGGrichuks drive extended to 23 the Cardinals club-record streak of consecutive games with at least one home run.TOP DOWNReds pitching limited the Cardinals first four batters -- Matt Carpenter, Jedd Gyorko, Moss and Piscotty -- to a combined 5 for 43 with one RBI and six walks in the series.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: Ex-Reds catcher Brayan Pena, limited to four games this season by left knee inflammation, was activated from the 60-day disabled list before the game.Reds: CF Billy Hamilton, leading the majors in stolen bases, exited in the third inning after straining his left oblique while taking a strike.UP NEXTCardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-8) tries to snap his four-game losing streak at Pittsburgh in the opener of a three-game series Monday.Reds: Mets RF Jay Bruce, traded by the Reds to New York on Aug. 1, returns to Cincinnati for the first time in the opener of a three-game series Monday. RHP Robert Stephenson (2-0) attempts to become the first Reds pitcher since Wayne Simpson in 1970 to win his first three career starts. Cheap Shoes Outlet . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. Discount Shoes China . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. http://www.shoessalecheap.com/ . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Nike Shoes Black Friday 2019 . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. Cheap Shoes From China . Fernandez, coached in Toronto by former two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, scored 267.11 points and is the first champion to successfully defend since Russias Evgeny Plushenko in 2005 and 2006. DALLAS -- Dallas Stars forward Ales Hemsky will miss five to six months after surgery for a hip injury that general manager Jim Nill said was sustained during the World Cup of Hockey.Nill said the surgery was performed Monday. Hemsky, who was on injured reserve early in the season with what was called a groin injury, played one game this season against Columbus, recording one shot in 16 minutes. He played for the Czech Republic in the World Cup.The Stars, who had the best recordd in the Western Conference last season, have dealt with a series of injuries so far this season.ddddddddddddorward Patrick Sharp has been on injured reserve since Oct. 21 with concussion-like symptoms, and Cody Eakin has missed the regular season with a knee injury. Jamie Benn has just one goal in five games while dealing with an unspecified ailment. ' ' '