Matt Garza pitched into the eighth inning for the first time this season, holding to the Cardinals to just three hits in a 3-1 final over St. Louis on Wednesday night.  Miami lost their fifth straight as they were swept by the Mets, who close to within 1.5 games of the Cardinals for the second wild card spot.  Pittsburgh got swept by the Cubs and remain 2.5 back.

Luke Weaver was making his fourth career start and it was an at-bat by Garza that caused the wheels to come off.  Weaver opened the game setting down eight straight, but  Garza drew a two-out walk after Weaver had the pitcher in a 1-2 hole. He then allowed a double and  three-run homer from Kirk Nieuwenhuis–his 13th of the season.

“That at-bat to Garza is kind of what set if off,” Weaver said. “Then that pitch to Nieuwenhuis. … I left it middle-middle there. It came out of the hand and didn’t have that conviction, that bite on it. It stayed up a little bit. That’s a big swing.”

Outside of that stumble, Weaver looked in control finishing with a career high 10 Ks.

Yadier Molina homered in the fourth, making it 20 straight games in which the club has gone deep, setting a franchise record.