St. Louis @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2013 ) St. Louis 13, Miami 7

The St. Louis Cardinals have the best record in baseball and boast the National League’s leading hitter in Yadier Molina as they conclude a three-game series against the host Miami Marlins on Sunday. St. Louis sits 20 games above .500 and Molina is batting .352 after having two hits and three RBIs in Saturday’s 13-7 victory. Molina is bidding to become the first catcher to lead the NL in batting average since Ernie Lombardi of the Boston Braves in 1942.

Outfielder Carlos Beltran homered from both sides of the plate for the 11th time in his career on Saturday and has six homers and 15 RBIs during a 14-game hitting streak. Miami outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is 5-for-8 with a homer and four RBIs in the series and is batting .400 with two homers and seven RBIs in five games since returning from a hamstring injury. The Cardinals are 5-3 on a road trip that wraps up on Sunday while the Marlins (2-3) are concluding a six-game homestand.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), Fox Sports Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (2-2, 3.51 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (3-7, 3.80)

Lyons has lost back-to-back outings and gave up four runs in each of them. The rookie pitched superbly in his first two major-league starts by allowing two runs and six hits in 14 innings against San Diego and Kansas City. The left-handed Lyons remained in the majors as the Cardinals elected to send prized righty Michael Wacha back to Triple-A Memphis when they activated Jake Westbrook.

Nolasco has lost five of his last six decisions and gave up four runs and a season-high 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings against Milwaukee in his last outing. He has allowed three or fewer runs in 10 of his 14 starts. Nolasco is 1-4 with a 4.59 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against St. Louis.

WALK-OFFS

1. Miami OF Juan Pierre went 2-for-5 on Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. He is batting .383 during the stretch.

2. Cardinals 2B Daniel Descalso went 3-for-4 on Saturday for his fourth three-hit outing in his last 17 games.

3. Marlins OF Chris Coghlan will meet with a back specialist in Dallas on Monday in an attempt to pinpoint reasons for his back pain. He went on the disabled list June 9.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Marlins 3