MIAMI (AP) Still out of the starting lineup, Dexter Fowler helped the St. Louis Cardinals to a big finish.
Fowler singled home the tiebreaking run as a pinch hitter with one out in the ninth inning, and the Cardinals rallied from a late four-run deficit for their fifth consecutive victory by beating the Miami Marlins 6-5 Tuesday.
The game was tied when rookie sensation Magneuris Sierra reached on an infield single with one out in the ninth, and he continued to second on an errant throw to first by A.J. Ramos (1-2). Fowler followed with a sharp single to right field , and the speedy Sierra slid home ahead of Giancarlo Stanton‘s throw.
Fowler was held out of the starting lineup for the fifth game in a row because of a lat injury.
“The boys are out there grinding,” he said. “Obviously I’ve been on the shelf, but I’ll take being out there to contribute anyway I can.”
The game-winning RBI was Fowler’s third this year.
Sierra, recalled Sunday from Class A Palm Beach, has helped pick up the slack. The 21-year-old scored twice and had two hits to hike his average to .357.
“I feel so happy,” he said. “It’s like winning the World Series.”
The Cardinals overcame a 5-1 deficit with four runs against Kyle Barraclough in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Matt Adams had an RBI single, and Jedd Gyorko‘s two-run single off Brad Ziegler tied the game.
“They were determined to make something happened,” manager Mike Matheny said. “That’s just showing heart – heart and fight.”
Trevor Rosenthal (1-1) pitched around a leadoff walk in the eighth. Seung Hwan Oh pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
The Cardinals’ winning streak is their longest this season and has vaulted them into the NL Central lead. They have won eight in a row on the road.
Miami lost its fifth series in a row.
“We’re in a little funk,” Barraclough said. “There’s not just one thing you can blame. Everyone has to snap out of it and just move on.”
Adam Wainwright shut out the Marlins for the first four innings but failed to make it through their four-run sixth. Derek Dietrich hit a two-run double and scored twice for Miami.
The Marlins’ Dan Straily allowed one run and left after seven innings with a four-run lead but remained winless since April 11.
TOSSED AGAIN
The Marlins lost without manager Don Mattingly, who has seen less than three innings of the series’ first two games. He was ejected by plate umpire Andy Fletcher in the bottom of the first inning, after being tossed following the second inning Monday.
Fletcher first ejected center fielder Christian Yelich for protesting after being called out on strikes. Mattingly then came onto the field to argue and also got tossed.
“You’re always going to protect your player,” interim manager Tim Wallach said. “You hate to see Yeli get thrown out that early.”
SQUEEZE PLAY
Mattingly shook up his lineup, dropping leadoff batter Dee Gordon to the No. 9 spot. The tweak came into play in the fifth when Straily, batting eighth, laid down a suicide squeeze bunt with one out to drive home the Marlins’ first run.
Straily didn’t try to bunt until the count reached 3-2, and pulled it off with the infield in to score Dietrich.
“The self-proclaimed best bunter on the pitching staff,” Straily said.
ROSTER MOVES
Marlins: Struggling LHP Adam Conley was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans, and INF Miguel Rojas (broken right thumb) was placed on the 60-day DL. Miami recalled C Tomas Telis and selected the contract of 1B-OF Tyler Moore. Both had been with New Orleans.
Conley took the loss Monday against the Cardinals and is 2-3 with a 7.53 ERA. RHP Jose Urena will take his place in the rotation.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: SS Adeiny Hechavarria left the game in the fourth inning with a tight oblique, adding to the team’s long list of ailing infielders. … 3B Martin Prado (Grade 2 strained right hamstring) is expected to be sidelined for more than a month. … Rojas might be ready to return when he’s eligible to come off the DL.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (4-1, 2.04) is scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday against RHP Tom Koehler (1-1, 5.40). Lynn has won all four of his career starts against the Marlins.
Photo credit – Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press / Miami, FL
