MIAMI — Ricky Nolasco allowed one run and three hits in seven innings Sunday to help the Miami Marlins take the rubber game of their three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-2.
NL Central leader St. Louis lost a series for the first time since April 26-28 against Pittsburgh.
The Marlins climbed above .300 at 21-47, still baseball's worst record. They scored 19 runs in the series against a team with the lowest ERA in the majors.
The abundance of offense was a refreshing change for Nolasco (4-7), who has endured the worst run support of any pitcher with at least 14 starts. Luxuriating in a lead, he retired 11 in a row during one stretch.
Juan Pierre drove in two runs and had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, while Justin Ruggiano and Placido Polanco each had a two-RBI hit. The Marlins have won eight of the past 14 games, their best stretch this season.
Tyler Lyons (2-3), making his fifth major-league start, lost for the third time in a row after winning his first two decisions. He gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings.
The Cardinals managed only five hits, all singles, with NL batting leader Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday out of the lineup. Both were given a day to rest but pinch-hit in the ninth, and Holliday was called out on strikes against Steve Cishek with the bases loaded to end the game.
Cishek earned his ninth save in 11 chances.
