MIAMI – A.J. Burnett pitched seven innings, Damion Easley drove in three runs and the Florida Marlins took advantage of sloppy defense by St. Louis to win 8-2, ending the Cardinals’ seven-game winning streak.

Burnett (3-5) allowed five hits and two runs, struck out seven and reached 100 mph at least once on the radar gun. It was perhaps his best performance since returning in June after reconstructive elbow surgery forced him to miss the 2003 season.

Larry Walker hit his first home run since joining the Cardinals last week, and his seventh of the season. But little else went right for the NL Central leaders, who lost for just the sixth time since the All-Star break.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa rested five starters in the afternoon game, and his patchwork lineup committed three errors and at least two other defensive lapses that hurt Matt Morris (12-8). He allowed nine hits and eight runs – four earned – in six-plus innings.

The starting time was moved up six hours because of expected rain associated with Hurricane Charley. There were perhaps 3,000 fans in the stands when the game began in mostly cloudy, 92-degree weather.

Rain delayed play for 42 minutes after the first inning, but sunshine followed.

The Marlins were outscored 3-1 in the first two games of the series, but Easley came off the bench to provide a boost.

Easley hit a solo homer in the first for the Marlins’ second run in 30 innings, and his RBI grounder in the third put them ahead to stay. He singled home a run in a five-run seventh to help the Marlins avert a series sweep and snap a three-game losing streak.

Paul Lo Duca went 2-for-2, walked and drove in two runs. He’s 13-for-29 (.448) with 10 RBIs since joining the Marlins.

La Russa let Morris bat with his team trailing 3-2, a runner at second and two out in the seventh. Morris struck out to end the inning, then departed after the first five batters reached in the bottom of the inning.

Left fielder Miguel Cabrera preserved a 3-2 lead for Florida when he threw out Marlon Anderson trying to score from second on a two-out single in the sixth.

The Cardinals’ defense was dazzling in the first two games of the series, but misplays hurt Morris beginning in the third. After Alex Gonzalez led off with a double, Burnett crossed up the Cardinals by swinging away and topping a grounder to shortstop Hector Luna. He hesitated before throwing to first, where second baseman Anderson was late covering, which allowed Burnett to reach on a fielder’s choice.

After a sacrifice advanced the runners, Easley hit an RBI grounder and was safe on an error when Anderson threw wide to first. Lo Duca followed with a run-scoring single to put Florida ahead 3-1.

Errors by backup catcher Yadier Molina and first baseman Albert Pujols led to four unearned runs in the seventh. Jeff Conine drove in the final two runs with a bases-loaded single.

St. Louis made it 1-all in the second when Jim Edmonds walked, took third on a double by John Mabry and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hector Luna. Walker homered leading off the fourth.

Notes: Cardinals RHP Woody Williams, scheduled to start Friday at Atlanta, is 3-1 in six games against the Braves with an ERA of 2.09. … 3B Scott Rolen, 0-for-18 against Burnett, was among the Cardinals given the day off. … With his homer, Easley ended a 3-for-26 slump.

AP-ES-08-12-04 1612EDT