Cardinals tie Hooks 3 times before falling in 12-inning marathon, Martinez makes rehab start

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A standing ovation sent Carlos Martínez back to St. Louis in the fifth inning.

Eight full innings and four minutes short of three hours later, the game he started finished.

Martinez allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four over four-plus innings in Thursday's rehab start at Hammons Field, but the Cardinals couldn't avoid a sweep at the hands of the Hooks despite tying the game in the eighth, 10th and 11th innings before falling 9-8 in 12.

The 5,210 fans in attendance gave Martinez a standing ovation as he exited, and the St. Louis Cardinals ace tipped his hat to a crowd he helped deliver a Texas League Championship to in 2012.

AND THEN THE FUN BEGAN

The city of Springfield got its first taste of Minor League Baseball's new extra-inning system tonight that starts each half inning with the previous inning's final out on second base.

The two sides entered extras in a 3-3 draw before the Hooks gave up leads of 6-3 in the 10th and 7-6 in the 11th. But a third comeback in extras and a fourth for the game proved too much for the Cardinals when Stephen Wrenn's two-run homer in the 12th stood up in the 9-8 final.

The Cardinals rallied within a run in the 12th on a Blake Drake single. With just one out and Granden Goetzman on second, it looked as if Springfield could tie again, but a strikeout by Tommy Edman and a Thomas Spitz flyout to center ended the three-hour-and-59-minute affair.

After the Hooks grabbed the lead in the 11th, Stefan Trosclair drew Springfield even with a run-scoring single. The Cardinals left the bases loaded in the 11th.

Springfield matched Corpus' three-run 10th when Mendoza's bases-loaded walk made it 6-4 Hooks and, a batter later, Chris Chinea delivered a single that scored Trosclair easily and Lane Thomas by a step and a slide.

The Cardinals had two chances to walk it off in the 10th with runners on second and third and one out, but Victor Roache struck out and Drake flew out to right.

After being shutout 3-0 through seven innings, excitement came out of hiding in the eighth when Thomas unloaded two thirds of the loaded bases with a single to center, bringing in Edman and Spitz.

Two batters later, Thomas all but created a 3-3 tie with his ninth steal of the season after a throwing error allowed Edmundo Sosa to scamper home from third on the same play.

After a 1-2-3 first inning for Martinez, Randy César hit a rocket off the righty into Homers Landing in right that put the Hooks up 1-0. Two batters later, Stephen Wrenn did the same for a 2-0 Corpus Christi advantage.

The Hooks tacked on a third run in the sixth inning when Chris Ellis hit Lorenzo Quintana with a pitch and the bases loaded.

FIRE RELIEF

Chris Ellis struck out 10 Hooks over 5.1 innings of relief. Ellis held the Hooks scoreless for the first five innings of his night before the three-run 10th.

WEEKEND OF YADI

The St. Louis Cardinals announced Thursday that catcher Yadier Molina is expected to make a pair of rehab appearances for Springfield on Saturday and Sunday at Hammons Field.

UP NEXT

Springfield opens a three-game series with the San Antonio Missions on Friday at 7:10 pm.

After Friday's game will be Friday Fireworks featuring 'Hero Music.' Friday is also Missouri Lottery Baseball Bingo.