ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The sixth inning was just enough of a rough patch to sink the Miami Marlins.
The St. Louis Cardinals placed consecutive two-out RBI doubles just out of right fielder Giancarlo Stanton's reach and starter Nathan Eovaldi lost his touch, too, in a 3-2 victory Friday night.
Both showed their frustration. Stanton punched the padded wall and Eovaldi tossed his glove and cap in the dugout.
"We had it right there, we just didn't get that last big hit to put us over the top," manager Mike Redmond said. "We had several chances."
The first four Marlins reached safely in the ninth before Trevor Rosenthal earned his 26th save in 29 chances. Christian Yelich's RBI single eluded a sliding Matt Holliday in left and Stanton walked with the bases loaded before Casey McGehee grounded into a game-ending double play.
McGehee singled in the first to extend his hitting streak to 11 games but said he missed a hittable pitch earlier in the count against Rosenthal.
"I'd like to have that at-bat over, I guess," McGehee said. "You've got to give him credit, he threw a pretty good changeup that last pitch.
"We didn't have much going on earlier in the game, so there's a lot of good things that happened."
Earlier in the inning, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny unsuccessfully appealed that the Marlins' Donovan Solano had passed teammate Reed Johnson tagging up at second when he had thought Holliday had made the catch.
Redmond said the correct read was to play the ball halfway, but that even if Solano had scored the Marlins would have had men on second and third and Stanton would have been intentionally walked.
Eovaldi (5-4) allowed two singles and two walks in the first five innings. He gave up three runs on four hits -- three of them doubles -- in the sixth.
"That's been an elusive inning," Redmond said. "It was again tonight."
Lance Lynn bounced back from his worst start of the season with 6 2-3 scoreless innings for the Cardinals, who have won three straight.
Stanton, who entered with an NL-leading 21 homers and 61 RBIs, was 0 for 4.
Matt Carpenter doubled off the top of the wall in center field to open the sixth, missing a home run by inches and circling his fingers as he arrived at second base. The Cardinals lost a crew chief appeal that lasted just 53 seconds, but Carpenter scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and Yadier Molina and Oscar Taveras drove in a run apiece.
Lynn (9-6) allowed five hits with six strikeouts and three walks. He is 4-4 on the road and in his previous outing lasted two innings and surrendered a season-worst seven runs, six earned, while also troubled by a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand in a loss to the Dodgers.
Attendance of 46,131 to begin a seven-game home stand was the Cardinals' 24th sellout in 41 games.
NOTES: Matheny, who will guide the NL in the All-Star game next week, said he's "pretty close" to finalizing his roster choices. He is aboard with the game deciding home-field advantage in the World Series. "I like it meaning something," Matheny said. "It's a great idea." ... Redmond planned to chat with Matheny and tout Stanton's All-Star credentials. "I'd love to see him DH," Redmond said. "I don't know how you don't have his bat in the lineup, right?" ... Cardinals OF Allen Craig did not start for the second straight day. Matheny said he's trying to be creative with a crowded outfield and Taveras, a rookie, getting regular playing time. Craig was 6 for 34 on the trip and is likely to start Saturday against Marlins LHP Andrew Heaney (0-3, 5.29) with RHP Shelby Miller (7-7, 4.10) starting for St. Louis. Miller is 6-3 with a 1.78 ERA against the NL East.
