|
 A botched double play ball by second baseman Kolten Wong led to four
unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning that put Miami ahead to
stay in a 6-4 decision at Busch Stadium.
Wong allowed a hard grounder by catcher Jeff Mathis to go through
his legs with shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria on first and none out.
Hechavarria scored on pitcher Chris Narveson's sacrifice bunt,
beating pitcher Carlos Martinez's throw home. Plate umpire Phil
Cuzzi originally called Hechavarria out, but replay umpires in New
York City reversed the ruling.
Three batters later, left fielder Derek Dietrich stroked a
bases-loaded triple down the right field line to give the Marlins
(47-70) the lead for good.
Narveson (1-0), who relieved starter David Phelps in the third after
Phelps left with right elbow discomfort, allowed just one hit and
one run in 2 2/3 innings, striking out two.
Martinez (12-5) gave up seven hits and five runs, just one earned,
in five innings with no walks and five strikeouts.
First baseman Justin Bour singled home second baseman Dee Gordon in
the first, giving Miami its first lead of the series.
But right fielder Jason Heyward responded with a two-out solo homer
in the bottom of the first, then victimized Phelps in the third with
a two-run blast to right-center, his 11th of the year. Heyward's
last four homers have come against the Marlins.
Phelps departed after the next pitch to center fielder Randal
Grichuk, having allowed four hits and three runs in 2 1/3 innings
with a walk and four strikeouts.
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Left fielder Stephen Piscotty's first major league homer in the
fifth sliced Miami's lead to 5-4, but the Marlins capped the scoring
in the sixth as pinch hitter Casey McGehee was credited with an RBI
when Wong misplayed his potential double-play bouncer.
Closer A.J. Ramos fanned the side in the ninth for his 19th save in
24 attempts as Miami won for the first time in six tries against St.
Louis.
The Cardinals (75-42) saw their National League Central lead over
Pittsburgh, an 8-1 winner at the New York Mets, shrink to five
games.
NOTES: St. Louis LF Stephen Piscotty has the National League's
eighth-best average at .338 since being called up from Triple-A
Memphis July 21. ... Miami entered Sunday's game with only 57 errors
in 117, its fewest number of boots at this stage in franchise
history. ... Cardinals SS Jhonny Peralta didn't start Sunday as Pete
Kozma got the call instead. Peralta broke out of a 1-of-17 skid
Tuesday night and has hit safely in five straight games.
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