MIAMI (AP) Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Dizzy Dean and Rogers Hornsby never had a trip with the Cardinals like the one they completed Wednesday night.
Dexter Fowler hit a pinch-hit, go-ahead triple and St. Louis overcame a four-run deficit for the second game in a row, rallying past Miami 7-5 to conclude a trip that by one measure ranked as the franchise’s best ever.
The Cardinals went 6-0 on their swing through Atlanta and Miami. It’s the first time they’ve gone undefeated on a trip of at least six games in their 126-year history, the team said, citing information from Elias.
“That’s hard to believe with some of the great teams that have been through here,” manager Mike Matheny said. “That’s a pretty impressive statement.”
Lance Lynn gave up four runs in the first inning on homers by Christian Yelich and Justin Bour, but for the second consecutive game, Fowler came off the bench to give the Cardinals the lead. His two-run triple in the sixth put them ahead to stay, 5-4.
Fowler, out of the starting lineup for the past six games because of a sore lat, drove in the winning run in the ninth inning Tuesday after St. Louis rallied from a 5-1 eighth-inning deficit.
“I love the result and what it takes to come from behind like that, but the club can’t keep doing that,” Matheny said. “It just beats everybody up. But it’s huge to have that capability. Not every team does.”
The Cardinals’ six-game winning streak is their longest since June 2015, and they have won nine consecutive road games. They have recovered from a 3-9 start to climb into the NL Central lead, and they are a season-high five games above .500 (19-14).
Jedd Gyorko had three hits and two RBIs, scored a run and stole a base for St. Louis. Rookie sensation Magneuris Sierra singled, walked and scored twice.
“Even when we were down four, it was so early,” first baseman Matt Carpenter said. “We felt like the way we’ve been swinging the bat, we were going to have a chance. Our lineup right now is pretty dangerous, so four runs didn’t feel like we were that far behind.”
Miami’s Tom Koehler couldn’t hold the early lead, allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Jarlin Garcia (0-1) gave up two runs in the sixth for the Marlins, who have blown leads of four runs or more to lose three times in the past week.
“It seems we’re finding new ways every night to lose a game,” Koehler said. “It’s tough. We have to find a way to snap out of it.”
The Marlins were shorthanded after losing four players on the left side of their infield since Sunday to injuries. Two-time All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon started at shortstop for the first time since 2013 and handled four chances.
Lynn needed 104 pitches to get through four innings, his shortest outing of the season. He left trailing 4-3 and his ERA rose from 2.04, second-best in the NL, to 2.75.
But Lynn and six relievers limited Miami to one run over the final 8 1/3 innings. Sam Tuivailala (2-0) pitched a scoreless fifth, and Seung Hwan Oh escaped a two-on, no-out situation in the ninth for his ninth save.
“We pitch well, and when we don’t pitch well, the offense picks us up,” Lynn said. “That’s how winning teams do it. You turn it up when you need to.”
COMPLETE GAME
Marlins manager Don Mattingly went the distance after being ejected early in each of the first two games of the series. He said his wife videotaped their 2-year-old son, Louis, imitating Dad arguing with an umpire. “She sent me a video of Louis moving his hands all over the place,” Mattingly said. “That was cute. I guess my hands move around. People have told me that before. The fact he notices it is a little scary.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: CF Fowler is expected to rejoin the starting lineup Friday against the Cubs.
Marlins: RHP Edinson Volquez (blister) and LHP Wei-Yin Chen (tired arm) threw bullpen sessions. Volquez remains on schedule to start Saturday against the Braves, while Chen won’t start before Tuesday at the earliest, Mattingly said.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: St. Louis opens an 11-day, eight-game home stand Friday when NL ERA leader Mike Leake (4-1, 1.79) starts against the Cubs.
Marlins: RHP Jose Urena (1-0, 1.69) is scheduled to make his second start of the season at home Friday against the Braves.
Photo credit – Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press / Miami, FL
