Marlins’ error leads to 6-5 loss
Cody Ross and the Florida Marlins let their lead roll away.
Pinch-hitter Colby Rasmus hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning after a costly error by Ross in center field, sending the St. Louis Cardinals over the Florida Marlins 6-5 Thursday.
Leo Nunez (2-3) took over in the eighth with Florida ahead 5-3. Rick Ankiel led off with a single, Albert Pujols walked on a full count and Ryan Ludwick singled. The ball got under Ross’ glove and went to the wall, letting Ankiel and Pujols score the tying runs.
“I missed it, flat out,” Ross said. “Trying to block it and it just went right through my legs. The game is on the line right there and I got to come up with that play. There’s no excuse.”
Rasmus batted for Trever Miller and singled to right.
“You just want to make contact,” said Rasmus, who extended his career-high hit streak to 10 games. “It’s not like you’re changing your thought process. You just want to have a good at-bat.”
Pujols hit his 19th home run and Ankiel added three hits for the Cardinals.
Ross Gload homered twice for the Marlins. He drove in three runs with the first multihomer game of his career.
Miller (2-0) pitched a scoreless seventh. Ryan Franklin recorded his 14th save by going 1 2/3 innings.
Pujols reached into the first-base stands and caught Wes Helms’ foul popup with a runner on second for the final out. The Marlins finished 6-5 on their homestand.