Cardinals defeat Marlins for second straight day

JUPITER, Fla. -- A.J. Burnett was speechless after his miserable outing Sunday.

Burnett allowed four runs in two innings then left the Florida Marlins' 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals without talking to reporters.

The Cardinals scored four runs in the second inning on five consecutive hits, including a two-run double by pitcher Chris Carpenter. Burnett allowed six hits on 57 pitches.

"He said he was just frustrated and mad at himself and he felt fine," said Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker.

Braunecker said the outing was not related to Burnett's health. Burnett missed most of 2003 and the first two months last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in his right elbow. He missed three more weeks in September after complaining about tightness in his elbow.

Carpenter, recovering from nerve damage in his right elbow that forced him to miss the postseason, was encouraged by his start. He allowed two hits in three innings, striking out two.

"I'm throwing the ball better now than I was at any time last year," said Carpenter, who was 15-5 with a 3.46 ERA last year. "I don't think I threw a curveball for a strike the first month of the season."

Scott Seabol and Jim Edmonds had RBI singles in the Cardinals' second.

The Marlins run came on Jeremy Hermida's groundout and snapped Florida's 14-inning scoreless streak. The Marlins scored one run on seven hits in the two-game weekend series against the Cardinals.