Coverage of today's Cards and Pirates game can be heard on Newstalk 97.3 WTIM beginning at 6:40pm.

St.  Louis, MO  (SportsNetwork.com) -  Jarrod Saltalamacchia  hit a  three-run 
homer  and Henderson Alvarez tossed seven solid innings as the Marlins took an 
8-4  victory over the  St. Louis Cardinals in the rubber match of a three-game 
set. 

Casey  McGehee  finished 2-for-4  with an  RBI and two  runs scored while Jeff 
Baker and Marcell Ozuna both had two hits and two RBI for Miami, which won the 
final two games after dropping Friday's series opener. 

Alvarez (6-3) conceded just one run on five hits with three strikeouts for the 
Marlins,  who  have won a franchise-record  10 straight starts with the right- 
hander on the mound. 

"He's  really  stepped up and  taken over that ace  role for us," said McGehee 
about Alvarez. "He pretty much did today what he has done all year for us." 

Kolten  Wong homered  and scored twice while Matt Adams supplied a career-high 
four  hits. Marco Gonzales  (0-2) was tagged with the loss in his third career 
start  after giving up  just one run on seven hits and five walks across 4 2/3 
frames. 

"We  can't dictate where the ball is going once we make contact. All we can do 
is stick with our approach," said Adams. 

Christian  Yelich and Ed  Lucas both singled to open the game for the Marlins. 
Giancarlo Stanton grounded into a double play that moved Yelich over to third. 
McGehee's grounder up the middle brought Yelich around for an early lead. 

The  Marlins loaded the bases in the fifth and the sixth. Stanton led off with 
a  single and  Baker  and  Saltalamacchia both  worked  two-out walks,  ending 
Gonzales'  outing.  Seth  Maness  diffused the  threat  after  getting  Adeiny 
Hechavarria to ground out and end the inning. 

In the sixth, Alvarez and Yelich both singled and Nick Greenwood intentionally 
walked  McGehee to  load  the bases  with  two outs.  Ozuna's  single to  left 
drove in two runners and Baker's base hit up the middle made it a 4-0 game. 

Wong  got  the Cardinals on  the board in the  seventh after smashing a first- 
pitch fastball over the wall in right. 

Miami  responded  with four runs  in the  eighth. Baker drove  in a run with a 
single  to left and Saltalamacchia stroked a three-run shot into the Cardinals 
bullpen in right, giving the Marlins an 8-1 lead. 

Kevin  Gregg started the eighth for the Marlins. Peter Bourjos raced to second 
on a one-out double and came home on the very next pitch after Adams smacked a 
ground-rule  double  that bounced off the  warning track and into the seats in 
left-center  field. Adams  moved to third on  a wild pitch and scored on Allen 
Craig's groundout, making it an 8-3 game. 

Wong singled and scored on Daniel Descalso's double to the corner in right off 
Dan  Jennings to  start the ninth. Chris Hatcher entered the game and stranded 
runners at first and third to prevent further damage. 

                                   Game Notes 

McGehee  extended his  career-high hitting  streak to  13 games.  He has  also 
reached  base safely  in 30 straight games  and has hit in 20 consecutive road 
contests  ... Alvarez  has not lost a  game since May 11 against San Diego ... 
Hechavarria  returned to the lineup after landing on the disabled list on June 
25  with a  right triceps strain ...  The Cardinals activated Wong from the DL 
prior to the game.