PITTSBURGH -- A couple of outs. That's all that separated Carols Martinez from his first major league complete game.

As it was, the St. Louis right-hander lasted plenty long enough and pitched plenty well enough Saturday to lead the Cardinals past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1.

"He's got impressive stuff. It doesn't surprise us," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said after Martinez (7-5) allowed the lone run on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks over 8-1/3 innings.

"We're just trying to keep him in a good, consistent place all game long. It's just part of being a young pitcher."

Pittsburgh got just five balls beyond the outfield against Martinez, who won his third start in a row after losing five in a row. Trevor Rosenthal got the final two outs for his 12th save of the season.

"Really hasn't been any big changes," Martinez said. "Just trying to stay focused and make small adjustments."

Matt Holliday smacked a three-run homer in a four-run fifth for St. Louis (34-28), which improved to 19-12 on the road, ensured it will win its fourth straight series and moved a season-high six games above .500. The Cardinals also improved to 3-5 against the Pirates this season.

Pittsburgh (32-30) dropped its fourth in a row.

The early innings belonged to the starting pitchers. Francisco Liriano (4-6) struck out five and allowed two hits through four innings for the Pirates. Martinez allowed two hits with one strikeout and just three balls were hit beyond the infield through five innings.

The Cardinals broke through for four runs, three of them unearned, in the fifth.

Brandon Moss led off with a double to left, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball that came on strike three to Jedd Gyorko. Two outs later, after Aledmys Diaz walked, Holliday hit a first-pitch, three-run homer to right to make it 4-0.

It was Holliday's 10th homer. He also singled in the first and seventh before yielding to a pinch-runner, after he started this road trip 1-for-10.

"You go out and watch Matt Holliday hit, and there's not a shortage of power," Matheny said. "It's just a matter of getting into that good spot and good run.

Liriano, who is 7-3 in his career against the Cardinals, lasted one more inning. Liriano had been struggling with his control and skipped his previous scheduled start.

"I threw a couple bullpens and worked on my mechanics and tried to get in a better rhythm and I'm not trying to go too slow or too fast to the plate," he said. "I think it's getting better. I have to keep working on it and try to get better."

"For us to get him for a four spot, obviously with the way Carlos was pitching, we felt pretty good at that point," Holliday said.

In the seventh, the Cardinals tacked on a run on Jhonny Peralta's broken-bat single to left for a 5-0 lead.

Pittsburgh spoiled Martinez's shutout attempt in the seventh. Gregory Polanco led off with a double down the left-field line, moved to third on Starling Marte's single and scored on Josh Harrison's sacrifice fly to right to make it 5-1.

Also in the seventh, for the second night in a row, a Pirates catcher left the game because of an injury.

Chris Stewart departed in the seventh after making a play at the plate. He had been somewhat questionable to start the game after he fouled a ball off his left ankle area on Friday night. Stewart was hit in the same area by St. Louis runner Jeremy Hazelbaker.

"It's one of those things where he ran into something that's been bugging me and it made it worse," Stewart said.

Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli left Friday's game with a hand injury.

NOTES: Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli had surgery on his left hand to repair a broken hamate bone. Cervelli, who left Friday night's game because of pain in the hand, was put on the 15-day disabled list. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. To take his roster spot, RHP Rob Scahill was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. ... The Pirates reacquired C Erik Kratz from the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations and optioned LHP Kyle Lobstein to Indianapolis. ... To make room on the Pirates' 40-man roster, RHP Trey Haley was designated for assignment. ... RHP and No. 1 starter Gerrit Cole was still being examined and the Pirates did not have an update on his status. He left Friday's game with right triceps tightness. ... Pittsburgh RHP Arquemedes Caminero (left quadriceps strain) was recalled from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the 15-day DL, and INF Cole Figueroa was optioned to Indianapolis. ... St. Louis 2B Matt Carpenter did not start. Manager Mike Matheny said that was mostly because Carpenter has not hit well against Pirates starter Francisco Liriano and to a lesser extent because Carpenter is coming off a finger injury. ... Jason Day, the top-ranked golfer in the world who will be playing in the U.S. Open at nearby Oakmont Country Club next week, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.