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Carpenter, Cardinals down Marlins

Aug 14, 2014 - 5:08 AM Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Carpenter had three hits and scored twice and Justin Masterson pitched a gem as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Marlins on Wednesday, 5-2, to avoid getting swept in Miami for the first time since 1995.

Masterson (2-1) was dominant in his third start for the Cards since coming over in a trade from the Indians. The veteran righty allowed just three hits over seven efficient innings.

"The best thing about it was guys played extreme defense out there," said Masterson. "When we're going good we get some ground balls, and all the guys out there were doing great.

Masterson had allowed 10 runs on 14 hits in eight innings over his first two starts with his new club.

Matt Adams drove in a pair of runs and Masterson had his first career RBI for the Cards, who salvaged the third and final game of this series. The Marlins haven't swept the Cardinals at home since July 28-30, 1995.

Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi (6-7) took the loss after surrendering all four runs -- two earned -- on eight hits over six innings of work.

"Especially compared to my last two, I felt like I was missing with the fastball a little bit over the middle and my offspeed just wasn't there tonight," said Eovaldi.

Jon Jay led off the visiting third with a single to left and moved to third on Carpenter's base hit two batters later. Kolten Wong struck out for the second out of the inning but Matt Holliday drew a walk to load the bases for Adams, who bounced a two-run single to right.

Carpenter scored the third Cardinals run on an error in the fifth inning and Masterson helped himself in the sixth, delivering an RBI single to shallow right field with two outs. Oscar Taveras reached base earlier in the inning on Jordany Valdespin's error and scored when Masterson chopped one in between first and second base and into right field.

Sam Dyson walked Daniel Descalso with the bases loaded in the eighth to make it 5-0.

Jeff Baker's sixth-career pinch-hit home run against Kevin Siegrist in the bottom of the ninth made it 5-2, but Trevor Rosenthal came on and recorded the final out to end the game.

Game Notes

St. Louis outhit Miami, 10-5 ... Eovaldi has lost four of his last five decisions ... The Cardinals hit 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, while the Marlins did not have an at-bat with a runner on second or third base.