ST. LOUIS (AP) — Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter has thrown to hitters for the second time in four days as he tries to overcome a career-threatening nerve issue. The St. Louis right-hander threw about 25 pitches to teammates Shane Robinson and Tony Cruz on Thursday. It was Carpenter’s fourth outing in a possible comeback. The former Cy Young winner hasn’t pitched this season after feeling numbness in his throwing shoulder during spring training. Carpenter missed most of last year, then went 1-2 in the playoffs.

Carpenter didn’t speak to the media before the Cardinals played Arizona. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter’s pitches moved well. Matheny said Carpenter’s next step will likely be a similar session with live batters in a few days if his body feels well enough.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have promoted pitcher Kevin Siegrist from Triple-A Memphis. The Cardinals recalled Siegrist on Thursday and optioned pitcher Maikel Cleto to Memphis. Siegrist was picked as the Cardinals’ best minor league pitcher in May. The left-handed reliever went 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA at Triple-A and Double-A. The Cardinals began the day with the best record in the majors. Siegrist becomes the 22nd pitcher they’ve had on their roster this season.

Manager Mike Matheny said Siegrist was called up in part because St. Louis travels to Cincinnati for a three-game series starting Friday. The Reds have several left-handed bats and the Cardinals wanted a second lefty in the bullpen, along with Randy Choate.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Shelby Miller hit his first career home run and also pitched six sharp innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-8 Thursday night. Matt Adams and Daniel Descalso homered in an eight-run fourth inning off Ian Kennedy. Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter also connected for the Cardinals. Miller (7-3) allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out nine and walked none.

Kennedy (3-4) was tagged for 10 runs and 13 hits in four innings. Arizona scored three times in the ninth, and Edward Mujica got two outs for his 18th save in 18 chances.

w/ Jim Field

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Hawkeye 10

• Harlan 14, Kuemper Catholic 2
• Red Oak 3, Corning 1

Western Iowa

• Audubon 5, Griswold 4
• Missouri Valley 12, A-H-S-T 1
• Treynor 6, Tri-Center 0
• Underwood 2, Riverside 0

Rolling Hills

• Coon Rapids-Bayard 15-8, CAM 3-4
• Exira/EHK 6, Glidden-Ralston 2
• Stanton 4, Orient-Macksburg 1

Others

• Boone 13, Carroll 1
• Des Moines Christian 10, West Central Valley 0

Hawkeye 10

• Shenandoah 2, Atlantic 0
• Kuemper 4, Harlan 0
• Southeast Polk 8, Creston 1
• St. Albert 12, Red Oak 1

Western Iowa

• Underwood 14, Riverside 1
• A-H-S-T 5, Missouri Valley 4
• Audubon 9, Griswold 5
• Treynor 10, Tri-Center 0 (6 innings)

Rolling Hills

• Exira/EHK 2, Glidden-Ralston 1
• Orient-Macksburg 6, Stanton 5

Others

• IKM-Manning 10, Ar-We-Va 0 (6 inn)
• Carroll 8, Boone 3
• Ogden 6, Coon Rapids-Bayard 3
• West Harrison 4, Boyer Valley 0

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Iowa State senior Betsy Saina was pressed all the way by Wichita State’s Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton but pushed at the end to win the women’s 10,000 meters at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships Wednesday night. Saina took the lead for good with about four laps to go and surged down the stretch to win in 33 minutes, 8.85 seconds. Tuliamuk-Bolton was second in 33:14.12.

Saina, a native of Kenya, wraps up a distinguished college career that also includes NCAA titles in the 2012 indoor 5,000 and the individual cross country title last November. She ran the 10,000 this year at the Payton Jordan Cardinal invitational in 31:37.22, the third-best collegiate time ever run.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit his second grand slam in five days, Wade Miley bounced back from his two worst outings of the season and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the St. Louis Cardinals 10-3 on Wednesday night. Arizona has won four of five. St. Louis, with the best record in the majors, dropped back-to-back games for the first time since April 28-29. Goldschmidt became the first Arizona player with two slams on the same road trip. He hit one in a 12-4 win at the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

Goldschmidt also hit a go-ahead single in the 14th inning to beat St. Louis on Tuesday night. He has a team-leading 14 homers and leads the NL with 53 RBIs, including 12 in his last five games.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals recalled right-hander Maikel Cleto from Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday before their game against Arizona. Cleto was 2-2 with a 5.67 ERA in 13 games with Memphis, six as a starter. Right-hander Victor Marte was sent to Memphis. Marte, the losing pitcher Tuesday night a 7-6, 14-inning loss to Arizona, was 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in four appearances.

The Cardinals also announced that catcher Yadier Molina has dropped his appeal of a one-game suspension for bumping umpire Mike Everitt on Sunday.