Bryan Torres hit a two-run homer and Kyle Leahy earned his first victory in more than a month as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the visiting Miami Marlins 2-1 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Leahy (6-4) allowed one run on two hits over five innings for his first victory since May 16. He walked three and struck out five as St. Louis halted a four-game slide.
JoJo Romero, Ryan Stanek and George Soriano combined for three scoreless innings before Riley O’Brien retired the Marlins in order in the ninth for his 20th save.
Miami had its four-game win streak snapped despite an impressive outing by Tyler Phillips (1-3), who gave up two runs on six hits with no walks and one strikeout over 7 1/3 innings.
The Marlins were held to four hits and lost for just the sixth time in 24 games this month.
JJ Wetherholt had two hits for St. Louis,which took its first lead of the series in the second inning after being limited to two runs over the first two games.
Masyn Winn singled to begin the inning and Torres followed with his third homer of the season, a 364-foot shot to right field.
The Marlins threatened in the first with runners at first and second and two outs before Leahy got Heriberto Hernandez to fly out.
Miami got on the board in the fifth when Owen Caissie hit a leadoff double and scored on Graham Pauley’s ground-rule double to right.
Phillips retired 18 out of his last 19 batters faced before yielding back-to-back singles with one out in the eighth.
With runners on the corners, Cade Gibson replaced Phillips and escaped unscathed when Joe Mack picked off Nathan Church at third base and Wetherholt struck out.
St. Louis’ Alec Burleson went 0-for-3, ending his on-base streak at a career-high 25 consecutive games.
