Johnson helps Marlins down Cardinals 3-1

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Miami Marlins will be thrilled if Josh Johnson is as effective on opening day against the St. Louis Cardinals as he was in these two spring starts.

Johnson struck out three and allowed one hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday in a 3-1 win over the Cardinals.

The Marlins ace walked two and threw 52 pitches, including 32 for strikes. He faced the Cardinals in his first start Monday. He allowed two hits over 1 2/3 scoreless innings in that game.

"I got into a lot of deep counts. Not what I wanted to do, but I felt good out there. That was the main thing," said Johnson, who was limited to nine starts last year because of shoulder issues that ended his season in May.

He threw mainly fastballs, topping out at 95 mph, in his latest start. He said he also mixed in a few curveballs and about six to eight sliders, including one that David Freese swung at and missed to end the first inning.

Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes misses a ground ball hit by Cardinals batter Erik Komatsu during the third inning.

"Mainly the fastball. We don't want to show too much, especially since we're facing them in three weeks," Johnson said.

Johnson is in line to start the season opener against the Cardinals at new Marlins Park in Miami on April 4.

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said he has been pleased with Johnson's progress, but the bigger test will be how Johnson feels the day after each start this spring.

"The next day is when you start to get sore," Guillen said. "That's what I worry about the most, but he said he feels fine. He's pitching pain free. He looked pretty good.

"This guy is a big piece of the puzzle to help us compete and get to where we want to get."

Omar Infante homered for the Marlins off Kyle Lohse, who allowed a run on two hits over three innings.

Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes, who made his second straight start, went 1 for 2. He made a nice play to end the third when he grabbed a hard grounder by Lance Berkman that bounced off third baseman Donnie Murphy and threw to first.

The Marlins play the Mets today for the third time in five days, but Reyes is not on the travel roster to Port St. Lucie. He has not played his former team yet this spring.

"I have to worry about this organization," said Reyes, who said the Marlins, not him, decided against putting him on the travel roster. "If they don't put me in the lineup, it's not a big deal."