Miami, FL – Carlos Beltran recorded his 35th career multi- homer game and David Freese went 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored in the St. Louis Cardinals' 13-7 rout of the Miami Marlins in the middle test of a three-game set.
Yadier Molina had two hits and drove in three runs and Lance Lynn helped his own cause by plating two runs and tossing five innings for the Cardinals, winners in four of their last six.
"I felt great," Beltran said. "Got to thank God for that. I've been healthy and been working hard. Good things are happening for me and for the team and just happy where we are at right now."
Lynn (9-1) allowed a career and season-high seven runs while striking out six and walking three, but St. Louis jumped on Miami's struggling starter, Tom Koehler early and often.
Koehler (0-5) remained winless over seven starts this season, allowing nine runs on eight hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings.
"It was a battle for me today," Koehler said. "The team did a great job of finding the bat today. It's unfortunate that I wasn't able to keep them down when we got back into the game."
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and Rob Brantly added two hits and three RBI for Miami, which took the opener, 5-4, on Friday.
It was a high-scoring affair early on as both teams found success versus the starting hurlers.
Koehler was roughed up for a five-run first inning thanks to issuing a leadoff walk and later plunking Allen Craig to load the bases with one out. Molina then plated two runs with a single to left, setting off a chain of events in which the next three St. Louis batters all drove in one run.
Freese smacked a RBI single up the middle, Daniel Descalso hit a double and Pete Kozma rounded out the scoring with a fielder's choice, plating Freese to give the visitors a 5-0 advantage.
Miami fought back in the home half and cut the deficit to 6-5 as Juan Pierre opened up the action with a triple, extending his season-high hitting streak to 11 games, and Ed Lucas brought him home with an infield single. Lynn retired the next two batters, but walked Derek Dietrich, keeping the inning alive.
Adeiny Hechavarria smacked an RBI single, Greg Dobbs was plunked and Brantly came through with a two-run single to center, bringing both runners home to make it 5-4.
The slugfest continued over the next two frames, as Beltran hit a solo homer in the second to make it 6-5, Stanton added a two-run blast in the home half to tie the game at 6-6, and Freese provided a homer in the third to put the Cards ahead 7-6.
In the fifth, St. Louis rallied with two down to add a pair of runs.
Koehler retired the first two batters he faced, but walked Freese and allowed a Descalco single, before being replaced by Ryan Webb. Kozma kept the rally alive with an infield single to second, and Lynn helped his own cause with a clutch two-run single to right to make it 9-6.
Brantly's sacrifice fly in home half of the fifth scored Hechavarria, who singled to lead off the frame, to make it 9-7, but Miami's bullpen felt the wrath of the visitors' experience over the final frames.
The Cards added three runs in the eighth and Beltran capped of his impressive game with his second homer in the ninth -- this time from the right side of the plate -- to account for the final margin.
Game Notes
St. Louis finished with 17 hits ... Beltran has six homers and 15 RBI during a 14-game hitting streak ... Prior to the game, Miami placed catcher Miguel Olivo on the restricted list and recalled outfielder Jordan Brown from Triple- A New Orleans ... It was the 11th time in Beltran's career his has hit two home runs from each side of the plate.
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