By Rob Rains
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Part of the Cardinals’ future was on display on Saturday against the New York Mets.
Young outfielders Adolis Garcia and Randy Arozarena, who spent most of last season at Double A Springfield, each homered as they combined for four hits and five RBIs in the Cardinals’ 10-5 victory.
Garcia had the biggest hit of the game, crushing a three-run homer in the third inning after Arozarena had led off the inning with the team’s first homer of the spring.
Garcia also doubled, walked and was hit by a pitch as he went 2-of-3 with three RBIs and scored twice. Arozarena added a single and finished 2-of-5 with two RBIs.
Other news and notes from Saturday:
High: After getting two hits in the first game of the spring on Friday, Luke Voit had two more hits on Saturday, including a double, and drove in three runs.
Low: Carlos Martinez’s struggles in the first inning last year were well documented and he had the same problem again in his first start of the spring. He got out of the inning allowing just one run, but needed 31 pitches to get the three outs and threw only 13 strikes.
At the plate: Harrison Bader rebounded from his three-strikeout game on Friday with a pair of hits, including a double, stole a base and scored twice … Alex Mejia also had two of the Cardinals’ 14 hits, including one of their six doubles … The other RBIs came from Paul DeJong and Edmundo Sosa.
On the mound: Martinez lasted two batters into the second inning, when he issued his third walk. He also hit a batter and threw a wild pitch … Bud Norris made his Cardinals’ debut and allowed two runs in two innings, including a home run … Prospect Ryan Helsley also allowed two runs in his first outing, which covered 1 2/3 innings … Prospect Derian Gonzalez and John Brebbia each worked perfect innings in relief.
In the clubhouse: Manager Mike Matheny said outfielder Tommy Pham likely will make his spring debut on Sunday but that Jedd Gyorko and Dexter Fowler likely will not play for a few more days. Matheny had no new information on when Matt Carpenter will be cleared by the training staff to play … Matheny also said he has a plan to get Voit some time in left field during the spring games.
Up next: The Cardinals return to Jupiter to host the Astros on Sunday. Free agent signee Miles Mikolas is scheduled to make his Cardinals’ debut, and among the other pitchers scheduled to work are Jason Motte and Daniel Poncedeleon, which will be his first appearance in a game since he was hit in the head by a line drive last May while pitching for Memphis.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
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