Marlins 7, Cardinals 2: Ricky Nolasco pitched seven strong innings as Miami defeated visiting St. Louis for the second time in three games.

Justin Ruggiano, Juan Pierre and Placido Polanco each delivered two-run hits as the team with the worst record (21-47) in the majors took the series from the team with the best (44-25). Polanco had three hits as Miami handed the Cardinals their first series loss since April 26-28 vs. Pittsburgh.

Nolasco (4-7) allowed one run and three hits to win for the first time since May 19. He struck out four and walked one for just his second victory in his last seven decisions.

Ruggiano got Miami going with a two-run single in the first inning against Tyler Lyons (2-3), who allowed six runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. St. Louis got on the board on Jon Jay’s third-inning single before being stymied over the rest of Nolasco’s stint.

Pierre’s two-run single to right in the fourth made it 4-1, Polanco drilled a two-run double into the right-center gap in the fifth and Adeiny Hechavarria looped a run-scoring single to right in the seventh. St. Louis pushed across a ninth-inning run on a single by Matt Adams and loaded the bases before Steve Cishek entered and struck out pinch hitter Matt Holliday for his ninth save in 11 opportunities.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Miami has scored seven or more runs in five of its 13 games in June after doing so just four times over the first two months of the season. … The Cardinals didn’t start C Yadier Molina (league-leading .352 average entering Sunday) or Holliday (11-for-24 against Nolasco). Both players were utilized as pinch hitters in the ninth. … Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton went 1-for-4 in the finale and was 6-for-12 with a homer and four RBIs in the series.