Martinez sliced an opposite-field pinch-hit single to the right-center field gap off Wade Davis with one out in the ninth inning Andy Pettitte Jersey , driving in the tying and go-ahead runs and lifting the St. Louis Cardinals over the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on Thursday.”Trying to put the ball in play, trying just to get one run, that’s the most important thing,” Martinez said.Greg Garcia singled with one out against Davis (1-4) and took third on a single by rookie Harrison Bader.Bader stole second, and Martinez singled on a high fastball, giving the Cardinals their ninth walk-off win this season.It was the first career walk-off RBI for Martinez, whose playing time has decreased since Mike Shildt became the interim manager on July 14.”It’s a great teammate. That’s probably one of the best compliments I can give Jose,” Shildt said. ”He’s still getting opportunities. He’s not getting quite as many, but he’s determined to make the most of them and showed up ready to take a really quality at-bat with a nice plan.”Davis has a career-high five blown saves in 36 chances.”I left it over the plate,” he said. ”A couple of line drive hits there. Obviously, the stolen base didn’t help either.”Colorado, which began the day one game back for the NL’s second wild card Gary Sanchez Jersey , lost three of four at the Cardinals. The Rockies had been seeking to tie the franchise record of nine straight series without a series loss but instead lost a series for the first time since dropping two of three at San Francisco from June 26-28.”We’re in every game now, which is good, and we’ve won most of them,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. ”We’ve got to continue to pitch well. If we do that we’ll be fine.”Chasen Shreve (3-2), acquired from the New York Yankees on Saturday, pitched a perfect ninth in his second appearance for the Cardinals.”This is a focused group that’s really dedicated to playing good baseball and to moving this thing forward and to win games and to put us in position even further than where we are now,” Shildt said. ”This team wants to play in the playoffs.”St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas allowed two runs – one earned – and seven hits in seven innings. Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela gave up one run and five hits in six innings.After the Cardinals loaded the bases in the sixth, Senzatela struck out Bader on a curveball in the dirt with an 0-2 count.Tyler O’Neill put St. Louis ahead with a sacrifice fly in the third. Gerardo Parra had a tying single in the fourth, and Colorado went ahead when Ian Desmond hit a bouncer to the third-base side, and Mikolas made an off-balance throw that hit the tarp in foul territory in right field. Desmond was credited with a single, and Nolan Arenado came home from third on the error.MAKING A SPLASHO’Neill made a running catch against the wall right-field wall in the first inning to rob Arenado of an extra-base hit and a diving catch of a liner off of Trevor Story’s bat in the fourth.”If I can help on the defensive side of the ball that’s what I’m going to do,” O’Neill said. ”I was just able to make a couple of plays out there to help the boys get the game going.”TRAINING ROOMRockies: 2B DJ LeMahieu (left oblique strain) was reinstated from the 10-day DL and 2B Garrett Hampson was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.Cardinals: OF Marcell Ozuna left in the fifth inning because of discomfort in one of his left toes. 2B Kolten Wong (left knee inflammation) began an injury rehabilitation assignment at Class A Peoria and is expected to join the team this weekend in Pittsburgh.UP NEXTRockies: RHP German Marquez (9-8 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , 4.82 ERA) starts Friday’s opener of a three-game series at Milwaukee. He is 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA in his last five starts.Cardinals: RHP John Gant (3-4, 3.49 ERA) starts a three-game series on Friday at Pittsburgh, where RHP Chris Archer (3-5, 4.31 ERA) is to make his Pirates debut after his acquisition from Tampa Bay. Gant is coming off his shortest outing of the season, lasting 4 1/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.— ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels are about to make Mike Trout the highest-paid athlete in North American team sports history. Once his contract is signed, the most productive baseball player of his generation will get $432 million to stay in Orange County through 2030.This franchise’s cornerstone is cemented in place. It’s time to construct a championship team on top of that cornerstone, and the Angels plan to continue the work all summer long.Trout’s record commitment sent a jolt of optimism through the Angels this week as they completed their preparations in Arizona. The homegrown two-time AL MVP has given an unequivocal vote of confidence in the notion that Los Angeles will be a World Series contender again soon.The Angels aren’t among the favorites this season, not while Shohei Ohtani recovers from Tommy John surgery and Albert Pujols spends another expensive year attempting to recapture his youth. But with a retooled pitching staff and moderate lineup additions, the Angels expect progress after finishing with three consecutive losing records for the first time since 1992-94.Los Angeles has made incremental improvements to nearly everything about the franchise during general manager Billy Eppler’s three years in charge. The latest big change is in the dugout, where manager Mike Scioscia’s 19-year tenure has ended and Brad Ausmus has replaced him.Ausmus and a completely revamped coaching staff will bring a new perspective. Yet the Angels are in even bigger need of consistent health after two straight injury-plagued years, particularly on the mound.If Ausmus makes an impact and his pitchers stay healthy Sonny Gray Jersey , Trout could lead a quick revival in the Angels’ fortunes. It might not be enough to get past Houston or even Oakland in the AL West, but Trout believes the Angels are on the right path.Here are more things to know about the Halos:1-2 PUNCH: The Angels made their biggest offseason additions to a starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries. Former Mets ace Matt Harvey and veteran starter Trevor Cahill will be counted on for durability and consistency while the rest of the rotation falls in line behind them. Cahill will start on opening day, while the 29-year-old Harvey is showing signs of continuing the career revitalization that began last season in Cincinnati. The Angels are long overdue for a little bit of pitching good fortune, and maybe Harvey and Cahill will provide it.ON HIS WAY: Ohtani won’t be ready for opening day, but the AL Rookie of the Year is on track to return to the lineup as the Angels’ designated hitter early in the season. Nobody has put a timetable on the Japanese star’s return, but he will impact the playing time of the 39-year-old Pujols, who must stay in shape to play first base.HISTORY ON DECK: Speaking of Pujols, he starts the season sixth in baseball history with 633 homers. Willie Mays is fifth with 660. Pujols is coming off another offseason surgery, but he hopes to improve on his 19 homers and career-low 64 RBIs last year. He still has three seasons remaining on his 10-year, $240 million contract.NEW FACES: Harvey and Cahill are important, but the Angels also added Cody Allen, Cleveland’s career saves leader Luis Severino Jersey , to anchor an inconsistent bullpen that could feature several new arms, depending on who sticks on the roster. The Angels’ biggest position player additions were slugging first baseman Justin Bour and catcher Jonathan Lucroy, the immediate starter behind the plate.ROOKIES TO WATCH: For the first time in years, the Angels might actually have a couple of these. Eppler’s farm system is headlined by Jo Adell, the 19-year-old outfielder who suffered a weird leg injury during a spring training game. He’ll be back on the fast track to the big leagues this summer alongside right-hander Jose Suarez, shortstop Luis Rengifo and UCLA product Griffin Canning, who looks ready to help the major-league staff soonest of all.