KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Michael Wacha struck out five in 3 2-3 scoreless innings Friday and Matt Carpenter and Xavier Scruggs each drove in two runs for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 6-4 win over the Houston Astros.
Wacha, the 22-year-old right-hander who won four postseason games for St. Louis last fall, gave up three singles in his third start of the spring.
Houston starter Jarred Cosart gave up five hits and five earned runs in 3 1-3 innings.
Scruggs and Carpenter had RBI hits for the Cardinals in the second inning. Kolten Wong, Scruggs and Carpenter had extra-base hits in the fourth, and Astros center fielder Dexter Fowler prevented a fourth with a running catch of Randal Grichuk's 400-foot drive to the warning track in center field.
Jon Singelton's two-run triple off reliever Tim Cooney highlighted the Astros' four-run seventh inning.
Jose Altuve and Matt Dominguez had two hits each for Houston.
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