Andre Pallante delivered the best start of his season Monday night, allowing just one hit over seven scoreless innings as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 7-1 at loanDepot park.
Pallante (6-7) was sharp and efficient from the outset, retiring the first 10 Marlins batters he faced before issuing a walk to Jesús Sánchez in the fourth inning. The only blemish against the Cardinals’ right-hander came in the sixth, when Graham Pauley lined a 94 mph fastball into right field for Miami’s lone hit off Pallante. Over seven frames, Pallante struck out four, walked one and threw 49 of his 81 pitches for strikes — a dramatic turnaround after going 0-3 with a 9.76 ERA and surrendering eight or more hits in each of his previous three starts.
Offensively, Alec Burleson provided an early spark with his 14th home run of the season — and his second in as many games — crushing a 411-foot solo shot to center field off a 97 mph fastball from Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (4-5) in the third inning. Cabrera otherwise pitched effectively, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits over six innings, with four strikeouts and three walks.
Yohel Pozo extended the Cardinals’ lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning when he doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error by Miami catcher Agustín Ramírez.
The game broke open in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded, Burleson reached on a catcher’s interference call, forcing in a run. Rookie Masyn Winn then cleared the bases with a three-run double to left, and Jordan Walker capped the rally by driving in Winn with a double of his own, giving St. Louis a commanding 7-0 advantage.
In relief, Steven Matz worked a clean eighth inning, allowing just one hit. Matt Svanson pitched the ninth and gave up Miami’s only run on an RBI single by Ramírez.
The Marlins, who had won four straight before dropping Sunday’s series finale, have now lost two in a row. They’ll look to bounce back in the next game of the series, while the Cardinals aim to build on Pallante’s dominant outing and their big offensive inning.
Key stat: After allowing at least eight hits in each of his previous three starts, Pallante limited the Marlins to a single hit in seven shutout innings, earning his sixth win of the season.
