PITTSBURGH: Carlos Martinez made his case for inclusion on the National League All-Star team by pitching 7 1-3 scoreless innings as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Thursday in a match-up between the teams with the best records in Major League Baseball.

Meanwhile, Jose Fernandez pitched seven innings and tied the modern record for most consecutive home victories by a starter to begin a career, helping the Miami Marlins beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-0.

Martinez (10-3) scattered four hits in improving to 7-1 with a 1.20 ERA in his last 10 starts for the Cardinals. He is one of the five players contending for the NL’s All-Star Final Vote. Fan voting ends on Friday, and the game will be played on Tuesday at Cincinnati.

St. Louis opened a 5 1/2-game lead on the Pirates in the NL Central, ending Pittsburgh’s five-game winning streak.

Fernandez won for the second time in two outings since his return from Tommy John surgery. He allowed six hits, and improved to 14-0 in 22 career starts at Marlins Park. The only other pitcher since 1914 to win his first 14 home decisions as a starter was Johnny Allen of the Yankees in 1932-33, according to STATS. Fernandez lowered his ERA at home to 1.17.

All-Star Dee Gordon stole three bases, scored both runs, and broke the Marlins record for hits before the All-Star break with 119. Miami snapped a four-game losing streak.

Zack Greinke allowed one hit in eight innings, extending his career-high scoreless streak to 35 2-3 innings and lowering his MLB-best ERA to 1.39 in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over Philadelphia. Greinke hasn’t allowed a run since June 13.

Yasiel Puig ended an RBI drought of 51 at-bats with a two-run homer and two-run double for the NL West leaders.

Lorenzo Cain and Salvador Perez hit two-run homers, Yordano Ventura went five innings in his return from the disabled list, and Kansas City beat Tampa Bay 8-3 to finish off a four-game sweep.

Ventura (4-6) enjoyed his first start since June 12, when an elbow condition began causing numbness in his hand.

Jeff Samardzija had a four-hitter, Melky Cabrera homered, and the Chicago White Sox shut out visiting Toronto 2-0.

Samardzija (6-4) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning for a second straight game. It was his first complete game of the season. He struck out Toronto slugger Jose Bautista to end the 2 hour, 15-minute game and threw 108 pitches.

The White Sox, who had just five hits, have won eight of 10.

Masahiro Tanaka allowed two hits over 7 2-3 innings, Brett Gardner hit a first-inning home run and learned midgame he had been picked for his first All-Star team, as the Yankees rallied past the Oakland Athletics 6-2.

Tanaka (5-3) ended a four-start winless streak, the longest drought of his 1 1/2-year MLB career. He set season highs for innings and pitches (114), striking out six and walking one. One of the runs off him was unearned.

Ian Kinsler hit his 32nd career leadoff homer, a double, and three RBIs to back David Price’s eight innings in his final start before going to the All-Star Game, as Detroit beat Minnesota 4-2.

Rookie right-hander Cody Anderson pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning against Houston, his latest splendid performance for Cleveland in a 3-1 win.

Making his fourth major league start, Anderson (2-1) has given up three earned runs in 30 1-3 innings for a 0.89 ERA since being called up from Triple-A Columbus on June 21.

Felix Hernandez threw seven shutout innings to become the third pitcher with at least 11 wins before the All-Star break, and Seattle beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-2.

Colorado beat Atlanta 5-3 at rain-soaked Coors Field, and Troy Tulowitzki singled to extend his hitting streak to 21 games — longest in the majors this season — for the Rockies.