MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) _ John Mabry and Ray Lankford homered off Manny Aybar in a three-run sixth inning Wednesday to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Florida Marlins 4-1.

Mabry has three homers in two games at Space Coast Stadium this month.

Cardinals starter Andy Benes allowed one run and three hits in 4 1-3 innings.

Winner Mike Cather pitched two-thirds of an inning, and Jason Karnuth got a save for throwing 2 2-3 scoreless innings.

Florida starter Chuck Smith struck out seven in five scoreless innings, allowing three hits.

"I was getting a lot of first-pitch strikes, and that was the goal for the day," said Smith, who earned a starting job as a rookie last year. "Knowing I'm in the rotation helps. It makes you comfortable and is one less thing to worry about."

Smith was disappointed Mark McGwire didn't make the trip.

"I wanted to see him," Smith said. "He's already a legend, and it would have been nice to face him. I never got the chance last year."