Cards' Wainwright shuts out Marlins

MIAMI - Adam Wainwright pitched a two-hitter for his 16th victory, Albert Pujols homered, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the reeling Florida Marlins, 7-0, on Friday night.

Wainwright (16-6) struck out seven and walked three en route to his fifth complete game and second shutout this season. He threw 110 pitches and lowered his ERA to 2.07.

With the two-hitter, Wainwright matched his career best. The all-star righthander also threw one June 4 to shut out Milwaukee.

Pujols got St. Louis off to a fast start with a three-run shot in the first inning, his fifth homer in six games and 28th this year. He also doubled home a run in the fourth.

The Marlins played like a team deflated by the umpire's call that cost them a walk-off victory Thursday night against the Phillies. They have lost five games in a row and been outscored by 25-7 in the first four games of their homestand.

Although the home team took a drubbing, there was plenty of cheering from the crowd of 19,223, with many fans wearing red Cardinals apparel. St. Louis, 14-7 since the all-star break, remained a half-game behind NL Central-leading Cincinnati.

Florida's Ricky Nolasco (12-8), who had won his last three starts, lasted only five innings. He allowed seven runs and 10 hits, six for extra bases.

Nolasco trailed, 3-0, before retiring a batter. He started by walking Felipe Lopez, who stole second and took third on Jon Jay's bunt single. Pujols followed with a drive to left on a 1-1 pitch.

Pujols and Jay each had three of the Cardinals' 13 hits.

St. Louis 301 300 000 – 7 13 0

Florida 000 000 000 – 0 2 0

St. Louis AB   R   H   BI   Avg.      Florida AB   R   H   BI   Avg.

F.Lopez 3b 4   1   0   0   .264      H.Ramirez ss 3   0   1   0   .279

Jay rf 5   3   3   1   .375      Bonifacio cf 4   0   0   0   .245

Pujols 1b 5   1   3   4   .309      Morrison lf 4   0   0   0   .233

Holliday lf 5   0   1   1   .296      Uggla 2b 4   0   0   0   .276

Rasmus cf 4   0   1   0   .276      Tracy 1b 3   0   0   0   .234

Y.Molina c 4   0   1   0   .243      Stanton rf 2   0   0   0   .239

Miles 2b 4   1   2   0   .308      Helms 3b 2   0   0   0   .233

Wainwright p 3   0   0   0   .167      Hayes c 3   0   1   0   .243

B.Ryan ss 4   1   2   1   .227      Nolasco p 1   0   0   0   .146

Totals 38   7   13   7         a-Luna ph 1   0   0   0   .000

Badenhop p 0   0   0   0   .000

Tankersley p 0   0   0   0   ---

b-Murphy ph 1   0   0   0   .294

Sanches p 0   0   0   0   ---

Totals 28   0   2   0      

a-lined out for Nolasco in the 5th. b-struck out for Tankersley in the 8th. LOB: St. Louis 6, Florida 4. 2B: Jay (13), Pujols (25), Holliday (28), Miles 2 (4), B.Ryan (13). HR: Pujols (28), off Nolasco. RBIs: Jay (14), Pujols 4 (82), Holliday (66), B.Ryan (22). SB: F.Lopez (6). S: Wainwright. RLSP: St. Louis 4 (Y.Molina, Holliday, Wainwright, B.Ryan); Florida 1 (H.Ramirez). RA: Pujols, Rasmus, Miles, Wainwright. GIDP: F.Lopez, H.Ramirez. DP: St. Louis 1 (Miles, B.Ryan, Pujols); Florida 1 (Uggla, H.Ramirez, Tracy).

St. Louis walks (1): F.Lopez.

Florida walks (3): H.Ramirez, Stanton, Helms.

St. Louis strikeouts (8): F.Lopez 2, Holliday 2, Rasmus 2, Y.Molina, Wainwright.

Florida strikeouts (7): Bonifacio, Morrison 2, Tracy 2, Hayes, Do.Murphy.

St. Louis IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Wainwright (W 16-6) 9   2   0   0   3   7   110   2.07

Florida IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Nolasco (L 12-8) 5   10   7   7   1   6   94   4.57

Badenhop 2   1   0   0   0   2   20   4.54

Tankersley 1   1   0   0   0   0   17   6.75

Sanches 1   1   0   0   0   0   8   3.35

Umpires: Home, Laz Diaz; First, Wally Bell; Second, John Hirschbeck; Third, James Hoye.

T: 2:23. A: 19,223 (38,560).