Dakota Hudson pitched seven strong innings, and Harrison Bader drove in two early runs as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the host Miami Marlins 7-1 on Tuesday night.

Yadier Molina, a nine-time All-Star catcher, returned to the St. Louis lineup on Tuesday, going 2-for-4. He had missed 11 games due to a strained tendon on his right thumb.

Hudson (5-3) allowed four hits, two walks and one run, striking out six. He has a 2.62 ERA in eight starts since May 1.

Bader hit an RBI triple and added a run-scoring walk, going 1-for-3. Former Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna slugged his 18th homer of the season in the ninth.

Elieser Hernandez (0-1), recalled from Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday after Caleb Smith was placed on the injured list due to an inflamed left hip, took the loss, allowing five hits, one walk and three runs with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. In seven career starts, the 24-year-old Hernandez is 0-6.

The Marlins, who were held to five hits, have lost six straight games, getting just 10 runs during that span.

St. Louis opened the scoring in the second. Kolten Wong drew a four-pitch walk and scored on Bader's two-out triple. Bader's triple, which happened on a 2-2 slider, appeared to be lost in the lights by Marlins left fielder Curtis Granderson as the ball went under his glove, rolling to the fence.

Miami tied the score in the fourth. Harold Ramirez singled, advanced to second when Jorge Alfaro was hit by a pitch and scored on Miguel Rojas' one-hop single to center. Ramirez scored on a close play, getting his hand on the plate just ahead of Molina's tag.

The Cards took a 3-1 lead in the sixth after Paul Goldschmidt doubled and took third on Ozuna's infield single. Rojas, Miami's shortstop, then made a diving catch on a Molina line drive, but his throw to first to try to double up Ozuna was wild, allowing Goldschmidt to score. It was Rojas' first error in 16 games.

Miami brought in reliever Jarlin Garcia, who walked Wong and was removed. The new reliever, Jeff Brigham, walked Dexter Fowler and Bader to force in the second run of the inning.

The Cards scored four runs in their final two innings. They got an RBI single from Fowler and a two-run single from pinch-hitter Jose Martinez, both in the eighth inning, and Ozuna's solo homer in the ninth.

--Field Level Media