Cardinals 3, Marlins 2
ST. LOUIS -- This time, Lance Lynn avoided the crooked number.
Burned by four and five-run rallies in his last two starts at Houston and the Los Angeles Angels, respectively, Lynn minimized damage in seven solid innings on Sunday as St. Louis completed a three-game sweep of Miami with a 3-2 victory at sold-out Busch Stadium.
Lynn (11-3) scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out seven as he outpitched 20-year old Jose Fernandez, the Marlins' only All-Star. Trevor Rosenthal worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and Edward Mujica pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save.
Fernandez (5-5) gave up only four hits and struck out five in six innings, but control problems and his teammates' failure to quickly wrap up a rundown doomed him during a two-run third inning.
After Fernandez plunked Matt Carpenter to start the inning, Carlos Beltran laid down a perfect bunt for a single. Matt Holliday drew a walk to fill the bases and Allen Craig lofted a sacrifice fly to right field.
With Holliday running from first on a full-count pitch, David Freese struck out. Jeff Mathis' throw to second beat Holliday easily, but he got into a rundown and kept it going long enough for Beltran to head home. First baseman Logan Morrison's throw to the plate thudded off Mathis' glove and hit the dirt as Beltran slid around the catcher for a steal.
Holliday accounted for the Cardinals' other run with a 420-foot homer to center in the first.
Adeiny Hechavarria knocked in a run in the second for Miami (32-55) with a single. Mathis' two-out bunt single in the fourth cut the deficit to a run, but St. Louis (53-34) held on from there for its first home sweep.
NOTES: Miami completed its trade of RHP Ricky Nolasco to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night for three minor league RHPs -- Steven Ames, Angel Sanchez and Josh Wall. Kevin Slowey will move into Nolasco's spot in the rotation on Monday night when the Marlins start a three-game series with visiting Atlanta. ... Miami also recalled RHP Chris Hatcher, who was leading the Pacific Coast League with 24 saves for New Orleans, and transferred INF Chris Valaika to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Ames and Wall on the 40-man roster. ... St. Louis C Yadier Molina's right knee was diagnosed as being inflamed, but Molina doesn't think he'll have to hit the disabled list. He's hoping to play again on Tuesday night when Houston comes to town.
