Big first inning dooms Zambrano, boosts Cardinals
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Over his last three outings coming in, St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse had received just four total runs of support.
Aided by a pair of Miami miscues, the Cardinals topped that mark in the opening frame on Tuesday.
Yadier Molina smacked a three-run homer as part of a five-run first inning, while Lohse tossed 7 1/3 strong innings as St. Louis won its season-high fifth straight game with a 5-2 triumph over the Marlins in the middle test of a three-game set.
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Lohse (7-2) was charged with two runs on four hits and two walks for the Cardinals, who won their eighth straight game against the Marlins.
"Sometimes it's tough when you have a lead like that to stay with your game plan, but he did a nice job," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Lohse.
Carlos Beltran registered an RBI single and scored a run for the suddenly red- hot hitting Cardinals, who have plated 43 runs during their winning streak. The offensive outburst is on the heels of a 5-7 stretch where St. Louis pushed across just 34 runs.
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Carlos Zambrano (4-6) surrendered four hits and five unearned runs in the first for Miami, which has dropped 17 of its last 20 contests. In all, the eccentric right-hander fanned five and allowed seven hits and five walks in 6 2/3 innings.
The Cardinals rode their wave of momentum from Monday's dramatic 8-7 extra- inning win into Tuesday as the offense exploded in the opening frame.
Rafael Furcal led off the contest with a single and after Jon Jay struck out, Matt Holliday reached on a fielder's choice after Zambrano's throw to second went into center.
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"I was too quick to second base and threw the ball to center field," Zambrano said of the error.
Beltran followed with a single up the middle to bring home Furcal, and Holliday scored when Allen Craig's sharply hit one-hop grounder handcuffed Jose Reyes at shortstop.
Molina stepped up next and cracked a three-run blast over the wall in left- center for a 5-0 Cardinals advantage.
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Giancarlo Stanton belted a solo shot to center in the bottom half and scored on Greg Dobbs' sacrifice fly in the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-2.
Mitchell Boggs picked up the last two outs in the eighth, while Jason Motte fired a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save of the season.
Game Notes
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Ozzie Guillen was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes...Beltran, who went 1-for-4, is 8-for-22 over his last five games...Zambrano has walked 18 batters over his last four outings.