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Cardinals, Marlins play third test of four

Aug 6, 2011 - 3:41 PM (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals can wrap up a series win tonight against the Florida Marlins in the third installment of a four-game series at Sun Life Stadium.

St. Louis has won the first two tests of this south Florida series and is coming off Friday's 3-2 victory thanks to Lance Berkman's go-ahead RBI double in the eighth inning. Berkman also tripled and Matt Holliday clubbed a solo home run for the Cardinals, who posted a 7-4 win in the series opener and prevailed for the fifth time in eight tries.

Holliday has homered in consecutive nights and owns four home runs over his previous five games. Mitchell Boggs earned the victory with a scoreless inning of relief, while Jake Westbrook started the contest and allowed two runs on six hits and three walks through six innings for St. Louis. Lance Lynn escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his first career save.

"I thought Jake definitely did his part," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He gave us six innings in the heat. I think Jake deserves special credit. He didn't get the win, but he did a great job for us."

La Russa's ballclub is three games behind Milwaukee for the NL Central lead and 3-2 on a seven-game road trip.

After recording a 5-0 mark and a 2.15 ERA over a six-start span, Chris Carpenter is 0-1 in his previous two outings and will try to right the ship tonight for the Cards. Carpenter threw seven innings of two-run ball for a no- decision against Houston on July 27, then lost at Milwaukee in Monday's 6-2 loss.

Carpenter fell to 6-8 in 23 starts after he surrendered five runs and seven hits in five innings of work, and raised his ERA to 3.85. The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner is 4-6 in 12 road starts this season and will make his 12th career start against the Marlins, who reached him for six runs -- four earned -- and 10 hits over six innings in an 8-7 verdict on May 4. Carpenter did not post a decision and is 3-3 with a 2.78 ERA lifetime in this matchup.

Florida has hit a bump in the road since ripping off eight wins in 10 tries, and will try to get back on track Saturday.

Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez went 7 1/3 innings and suffered the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out seven to extend his career-long slump of 10 straight starts without a win. His last triumph came June 10 against the Diamondbacks. He's 0-4 since then.

Mike Stanton went 3-for-5 with an RBI triple, but struck out with the bases loaded to end the game. John Buck had two hits and an RBI for the Marlins, who are 0-2 on a 10-game homestand versus the Cardinals, Braves and Giants.

"We had the perfect scenario. You couldn't have written it up any better," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "The way that Stanton's been hitting the ball, you're kind of hoping that he could get up there. You could just visualize him hitting a line shot to left-center, but it didn't happen."

Marlins outfielder Mike Cameron sprained his left hand while trying to make catch during the second inning and is day-to-day. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez has missed the first two games of this series because of a left shoulder injury suffered in Tuesday's game against the Mets. He could return on Saturday.

"Hopefully we get Hanley back," McKeon said. "He wants to play. Then it won't be such a big blow."

Ricky Nolasco is approaching Dontrelle Willis' franchise record in wins and hopes to move closer when he takes the mound Saturday. Willis is tops on the list with 68 victories and Nolasco is coming up the rear with 62.

Nolasco has won consecutive starts and is 4-3 in his previous seven decisions, and worked 6 2/3 innings during Sunday's 3-1 win at Atlanta. Even though he allowed 12 hits. Nolasco held the Braves to a run with four strikeouts and no walks to improve to 8-7 in 23 starts this season to go along with a 3.92 ERA.

The right-hander, who is just 2-3 in 12 home starts this season, is still searching for his first career victory over St. Louis. In six games (5 starts) against the Cardinals, Nolasco is 0-3 with a 7.06 ERA. Nolasco needs 10 strikeouts to have the most career K's in Marlins history.

The Marlins and Cardinals split a four-game series in St. Louis in early May.