ter for Frasor, the Royals optioned Louis Coleman to Omaha and de

ST. LOUIS -- Not long after Jose Fernandez was lost for the season with an elbow injury, the Miami Marlins found a new ace. Theyve won a franchise-record 10 in a row when Henderson Alvarez takes the ball. "Hes been really good for us, especially since Jose went down," cleanup hitter Casey McGehee said Sunday after Alvarez (6-3) worked seven stingy innings and started the key rally with the first of his career-best three hits in an 8-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. "He pretty much did today what hes done all year for us. We love having him out on the mound." McGehee extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games with an RBI single in the first. Marcell Ozuna had a two-run single in a three-run sixth that made it 4-0, and Jarrod Saltalamacchias three-run homer off Jason Motte put Miami up 8-1 in the eighth. The Marlins had lost four of six before taking two of three from their spring training partners. The first two games of the series were decided by one run. "This group is special," manager Mike Redmond said. "Weve bounced back all year." The Marlins easily took the series finale despite stranding 14 runners, largely because of Alvarez. Hes 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA since May 16, allowing two or fewer runs in each of his last nine games. "Ive always wanted to be a leader," the 24-year-old right-hander said through a translator. "Im just focused on being a pitcher." Kolten Wong, just off the 15-day disabled list, had two hits and homered in the seventh for the lone run against Alvarez. Matt Adams had a career-best four hits, including an RBI double. "All we can do is stick with our approach and go up there and get the barrel on the balls, and thats what were doing," Adams said. "Were just hitting it right at people right now." Cardinals rookie Marco Gonzalez (0-2) allowed a run in 4 2-3 innings despite giving up seven hits and walking five in his third career start since being recalled from Double-A Springfield. He yielded five runs in each of his first two starts. "You look at the bottom line, obviously it wasnt as efficient as he wanted to be and we had to get him out early," manager Mike Matheny said. "He kept us in there and made good pitches when he had to." Alvarez struck out to end the second and then had a hit in three consecutive at-bats, the biggest a leadoff bloop single in the sixth. He topped his previous best of two hits, done twice, and raised his average this season to .250. Obviously, thats a bonus. "Im glad hes on our side, especially since hes been lights out," Redmond said. "I think we all feel so confident when he takes the ball." The three-day weekend series drew 133,736 fans, with the first two games sold out and the finale just shy at 42,160. It was 84 degrees at game time and temperatures were unseasonably mild throughout. Redmond, a former catcher, remembers St. Louis and Kansas City as the hottest cities in the majors, with triple-digit temperatures this time of year and "just roasting out there." "Its gorgeous," Matheny said before the finale. "Yesterday, I didnt realize it during the game but it was a beautiful day." NOTES: The Marlins previous franchise mark for consecutive wins in a pitchers starts was nine straight for Chris Hammond in 1993. Hammond was 8-0 during that stretch. ... Jim Edmonds threw out the first pitch, firing a high fastball to Matheny, on his bobblehead giveaway day. ... McGehee has hit in 20 straight games on the road, the second-longest streak in Marlins history behind a 27-game run by Luis Castillo in 2002. ... The Marlins open a three-game series at Arizona on Monday with Tom Koehler (6-6, 3.48 ERA), back from paternity leave, opposing Chase Anderson (5-4, 3.91). ... Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (11-4, 1.89 ERA) was tied for the league lead in wins heading into a matchup against the Pirates and Charlie Morton (5-9, 3.30). Wainwright is 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts against Pittsburgh this year. ... Matheny said closer Trevor Rosenthal was unavailable after tough outings in the first two games of the series. ... Motte missed last year due to reconstructive elbow surgery and allowed four runs for the first time since Sept. 22, 2011, at the Mets. Kenneth Faried Jersey . Al Harrington, another former Knicks forward, scored 22 of his 24 points after halftime for the Nuggets, allowing them to withstand Anthonys attempt to rally the Knicks after his poor shooting had them behind until the final minutes of regulation. Anthony finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, missing 20 of 30 shots in the Knicks sixth straight loss. Trey Lyles Jersey .com) - Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 12 points in the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats 70-55 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. http://www.nuggetsprostore.com/kids-devin-harris-nuggets-jersey/ . Hes the same player he always was, only now his efforts are being rewarded. The rookie manager has made a habit of heaping praise on others when things are going well, and accepting criticism when they arent. But in the case of Hurtado, its what the coach is NOT saying that may be the secret to a superb run of form. Custom Denver Nuggets Jerseys . We wonder if the price of a Roberts rookie card has at least gone up a few cents? Tribute Tweets #Padres Tony Gwynn had 287 career plate appearances against #Braves trio of Maddux, Glavine, & Smoltz, he hit . Wilson Chandler Jersey . - The width of Alec Martinezs shin guard was the difference between the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks in their playoff series opener. ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Kansas City Royals have gotten some relief help, acquiring veteran reliever Jason Frasor from the Texas Rangers for Triple-A right-hander Spencer Patton. The trade was made Wednesday, the same day Patton was in the Triple-A All-Star game. The Rangers assigned him to Triple-A Round Rock. Frasor was 1-1 with a 3.34 ERA in 38 appearances this season, his second in Texas. The right-hander spent nine seasons with Toronto (2004-12), returning to the Blue Jays after being traded to the White Sox in July 2011 and finishing that season in Chicago. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said catcher Geovany Soto will be activated from the disabled list before Fridays game at Toronto and set for his season debut in the majors after knee surgery. The injury-plagued Rangers (38-57) went into the All-Star break with the worst record in the major leagues. They were 21 games behind AL West-leading Oakland. Daniels said the deal with the Royals is "just a good baseball trade and we like the return" and not any indication that Texas will start unloading potential free-agent players, such as the 36-year-old Frasor. "Its not necessarily related to anything else we may do," Daniels said. "Were certainly going to listen. I think the closer guys are to free aagency, its just the more natural those conversations are to take place.dddddddddddd But were still going to make good baseball trades at this point." Kansas City (48-46) is second in the AL Central, 6 1/2 games behind Detroit. To make room on their roster for Frasor, the Royals optioned Louis Coleman to Omaha and designated utility player Jimmy Paredes for assignment. Patton is 4-3 with a 4.08 ERA and 14 saves in 34 relief appearances for Triple-A Omaha this season. The 26-year-old righty has 60 strikeouts in 46 1-3 innings while holding opponents to a .161 batting average. In 624 major league games, Frasor is 31-35 with 36 saves and a 3.65 ERA. Soto had surgery for torn cartilage in his right knee after getting hurt near the end of spring training. Before that, he had been limited to only six spring games because of a surgical procedure on his left foot. The Rangers acquired Soto from the Chicago Cubs at the non-waiver trading deadline in 2012. He hit .245 with nine homers in 54 games last season for the Rangers. Soto was arrested last week and charged with misdemeanour possession of marijuana under two ounces after a traffic stop by police in Grapevine, Texas. He was released on $500 bail and has apologized to his family, the Rangers organization and fans. ' ' '