ST. LOUIS, May 5 (UPI) -- Lance Berkman's three-run home run in the eighth inning broke a tie and delivered the St. Louis Cardinals a 6-3 victory over the Florida Marlins.
Florida starter Josh Johnson (3-1) took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth and got an out before Colby Rasmus and Albert Pujols both singled. Matt Holliday tied the score with a single that got Rasmus home.
The Marlins changed pitchers, bringing in Michael Dunn, but Berkman crushed his first pitch -- a fastball up in the zone -- into the seats beyond left field for his 10th home run of the season.
Jason Motte (1-0) had pitched the eighth for St. Louis and got the win while Eduardo Sanchez was given his third save after an inning of work.
Johnson allowed eight hits and five runs. Three of the runs and three of the hits came in the ninth.
Holliday singled in a run in the first but Florida took the lead in the fifth with RBI singles from Omar Infante and Johnson. Berkman tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. The Marlins retook the lead an inning later, this time on another Infante run-scoring single.
