St. Louis @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2011 ) St. Louis 2, Florida 1

THE STORY: The Florida Marlins will be glad to see Albert Pujols leave town. The St. Louis slugger has sparked the Cardinals to victories in the first three games of a four-game series that concludes Sunday in Florida. Pujols, who started slowly this year, is 6-for-14 with two homers, two doubles, three RBIs and five runs scored in the series. His 26th homer of the season accounted for both Cardinals' runs in Saturday's 2-1 victory which kept them three games behind Milwaukee in the National League Central.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Javier Vasquez (7-9, 4.88 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (10-5, 3.22).

Vasquez is coming off two outstanding starts in which he allowed one run over seven innings each time. He is 4-2 with a 2.13 ERA over his last eight starts. Lance Berkman is only 5-for-29 (.172) against Vasquez, but Pujols is 9-for-23 (.391) with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs. Garcia has been a bit shaky lately, allowing 18 hits and seven earned runs over his last 11 innings. His only previous start against the Marlins came last year when he tossed five scoreless innings, but he did not get a decision. In 11 career starts against the NL East, Garcia is 5-1 with a 1.54 ERA.

ABOUT THE MARLINS (55-58): With Omar Infante on the disabled list, the Marlins acquired Alfredo Amezaga from the Rockies and immediately inserted him into the lineup Saturday. Amezaga, who was also with Florida from 2006-09, went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in the No. 2 slot. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez missed his third straight game Saturday with a sprained shoulder, but could return Sunday. The Marlins are 23-33 at home.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (61-53): Outfielder Jon Jay did not start Saturday after going 1-for-17 this month. But he delivered a pinch-hit single in the eighth. Catcher Yadier Molina’s five-game suspension ends after Tuesday’s home game with Milwaukee. Gerald Laird, who is filling in for Molina, went 1-for-8 on Thursday and Friday, and third-string catcher Tony Cruz went 0-for-4 on Saturday. Fernando Salas earned his 21st save in 24 chances Saturday.

FINAL PITCH: St. Louis has won 15 of its last 20 games at Florida.