Avisail Garcia hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to rally the visiting Miami Marlins past the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (8-3) threw a complete game while allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits. He struck out three while walking two, throwing a season-high 117 pitches in his fourth career complete game.
Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante held the Marlins to two runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out two. Giovanny Gallegos retired Miami in order in the eighth inning, but Ryan Helsley (3-1) allowed Garcia's blast in the ninth.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning. Edmundo Sosa hit a leadoff single, stole second base, moved to third base when Brendan Donovan reached on an error and scored on Dylan Carlson's sacrifice fly.
The Marlins tied the game 1-1 in the fourth. Garrett Cooper opened with a single, advanced on a groundout and scored on Jesus Aguilar's single.
Miami edged ahead 2-1 in the fifth -- but missed a chance to score more. Brian Anderson walked and Miguel Rojas and Jacob Stalllings hit singles to load the bases with nobody out.
Pallante minimized the damage. First he got Bryan De La Cruz to ground into a run-scoring double play, then he coaxed an inning-ending grounder from Jon Berti.
The Cardinals regained the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the inning. Sosa hit a one-out triple. Andrew Knizner walked, Donovan hit a sacrifice fly and Carlson smacked an RBI single.
Cooper drew a leadoff walk in the ninth for the Marlins, setting the stage for Garcia's winning homer over the center-field wall.
Lars Nootbaar drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth and Conner Capel followed with a single, his first big-league hit. Marlins manager Don Mattingly visited the mound, but he left Alcantara to get Sosa to hit into the game-ending double play.
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