MIAMI — The St. Louis Cardinals completed their first road sweep of the season, defeating the Miami Marlins 5-1 on Thursday night at Marlins Park.
The Cardinals (48-24), who have the best record in the majors, have won 10 of their past 13 games.
Miami (30-44) fell a season-low 14 games below .500. The Marlins made two errors and managed just four hits, including a solo home run by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria in the ninth inning.
Right-hander Lance Lynn (5-4), who came off the disabled list to make the start, posted the win, allowing two hits, four walks and no runs in six innings.
Dan Haren (6-5) took the loss, giving up seven hits, no walks and four runs.
The Cardinals are going so well that they gave starting shortstop Jhonny Peralta a rest and his backup, Pete Kozma, went 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Also leading St. Louis was second baseman Kolten Wong, who had two hits and two RBIs, and left fielder Randal Grichuk, who had two hits and two runs.
St. Louis opened the scoring in the third. Kozma was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lynn. Kozma scored on a two-out double by Wong.
The Cardinals made it 4-0 in the seventh. Center fielder Jon Jay and Grichuk singled to start the inning. But Miami then botched two straight bunt plays and a sacrifice fly to help give St. Louis its big inning.
On the first bunt, second baseman Dee Gordon, covering first, dropped the throw from catcher J.T. Realmuto for an error. On the second bunt, reliever Mike Dunn looked to second and then to first before deciding he did not have a play at either base.
Finally, on the sacrifice fly, Giancarlo Stanton failed to take charge in right field. Instead of the strong-armed Stanton catching the ball coming in, Gordon caught the ball with his back to the plate and his throw home was not enough to prevent the run.
Also in the inning, Wong had an RBI when he worked a nine-pitch, bases-loaded walk against Dunn.
The Cards made it 5-0 in the eighth when Grichuk beat out an infield hit, stole second and scored on a single by Kozma.
NOTES: Miami designated RHP Vin Mazzaro for assignment. … The Marlins announced that RHP Jose Urena will start Sunday. … Marlins 3B Martin Prado (shoulder) likely won’t come off the disabled list when he’s eligible on Tuesday. He is fielding ground balls but has yet to hit or throw. … Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez, who hasn’t pitched since May 22 because of shoulder inflammation, has been long-tossing but is set to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. … With the NHL Draft being held in south Florida on Friday and Saturday, six prospects took batting practice at Marlins Park on Wednesday. Only one of them — 6-foot-4, 210-pound left winger Lawson Crouse of Ontario — hit a home run. … The home run by Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong on Wednesday was his ninth of the season, tops among NL second basemen. … The homer hit by Cardinals RF Jason Heyward on Wednesday was the third time in his career that he had gone deep in three straight games.