Jun. 29—When the Cardinals have talked and talked and talked some more about the potential length of their lineup — and how that will help them maintain a top offense without thunderous power — they sometimes extend that definition to reach the bench.

That’s where the rally began Tuesday.

Edmundo Sosa, back in the lineup after going two weeks between starts, keyed a four-run fifth inning to reel in the Marlins and overtake them. Sosa’s triple drove in the first run in a burst that carried the Cardinals to a 5-3 victory at Busch Stadium. Dylan Carlson drove in two runs and added a ground-rule double in the fifth inning to give the Cardinals a lead they would not relinquish.

Three of the four runs in the rally came with two outs, and during the fifth inning, the Cardinals got a base hit from six different batters. Sprinkled around Sosa’s triple and Carlson’s double that hopped the wall in right field were singles from batters such as the NL’s leading hitter Paul Goldschmidt and rookie Brendan Donovan. That is the kind of length and sustained rallies the Cardinals have lacked in recent seasons, suppressing the offense, and it’s one of the reasons they’ve risen into the top five for runs scored this year.

They apply pressure, not always power.

The timing of the rally made a winner of starter Dakota Hudson (6-4), but it took the relief work of Junior Fernandez and late-inning stalwarts Giovanny Gallegos and Ryan Helsley to secure the lead provided by the lineup. After Gallegos retired three consecutive batters who could have been the tying run, Helsley struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.

Seven of the last nine outs collected by Cardinals relievers were strikeouts.

Junior’s achievement

What brought Fernandez back from Class AAA Memphis was a sudden opening in the bullpen after veteran lefty T.J. McFarland tested positive for COVID-19.

What will keep him in the majors is all he’s done since.

Promoted because he was available, ready to throw that night and showing improved command at Triple-A, Fernandez has quickly seized on an opening in the Cardinals’ bullpen. They’ve sought a right-hander to join the late-inning options, and he’s provided. Fernandez’s two scoreless innings in relief Tuesday were his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance since returning to the majors. Fernandez entered with a runner on base and promptly got two groundballs. In the seventh inning, he struck out.

In four appearances, Fernandez has pitched 6 1/3 innings and he’s yet to allow a hit, let alone a run.

What set Tuesday’s appearance apart from the previous three was it came in a game when the Cardinals were leading. He tagged into the game at the time when Genesis Cabrera, recently placed on the COVID-related injury list, would have been an option, if not absent. Fernandez’s first auditions had been with the Cardinals trailing and trying to hold an opponent to make a rally. Against Miami, Fernandez held the two-run lead he inherited to bridge the game from starter Hudson to the Cardinals’ lategame tandem.

Hudson has a hiccup but keeps control Coming off a start he insisted was better than the line suggested, Hudson had one inning go haywire, but it did not sabotage his entire start. The right-hander, who allowed five runs on seven hits last week in Milwaukee, got into the third inning having negotiated six outs from six batters.

The bottom three batters of the Marlins’ order promptly interrupted that run with three successive base hits, including two doubles. Miami went on a three-run jag against Hudson before — with help from two groundouts — Hudson escaped the inning. He did not complicate the inning with walks. (He had 10 in his previous three starts.) He did not let a problematic inning become a come-apart start. (A three-run homer by the Brewers in one inning was followed by another homer in the next.) Hudson eventually got back to the ground game.

With the Marlins leading 3-0, Hudson pitched around a single in the fourth. As the Cardinals chewed into that lead, Hudson was flawless in the fifth and did not allow a ball out of the infield. After the last run he allowed in the third, Hudson got seven outs from eight batters to push into the sixth inning and come three outs shy of his first quality start since June 7.

Seldom-seen Sosa sparks rally The relocation of Tommy Edman to shortstop to make way for Nolan Gorman’s power at second base has put a squeeze on playing time for Sosa. The Cardinals’ starter at shortstop for last year’s playoff game, Sosa received regular starts at that position or third in the opening weeks of the season, but since — only cameos.

His start Tuesday against the left-hander was only his third in 21 games.

He took advantage.

“Regardless of when we call on him, he brings that energy,” manager Oliver Marmol said.

In the Cardinals’ turnaround fifth inning, Sosa roped a triple that put the rally in motion. His one-out triple off Marlins starter Braxton Garrett split the gap and brought Donovan home for the Cardinals’ second run of the game. Sosa scored on Edman’s single to tie the game, 3-3. And the rally didn’t stop there. The Cardinals added two more runs with two outs to leave the inning leading, 5-3.

The triple was Sosa’s second of the season and sixth of his career.

“So when I hit the ball I always look for that extra-base,” Sosa said late Tuesday night. “I was around second base (and) I saw the ball around there. I am the tying run, so I’m going to try to force and get it there.”

All without Jazz: Two misplays nearly cost Marlins

An RBI single in the fifth inning could have been an out — with the reach of another infielder. Goldschmidt drove home the Cardinals’ fourth and final run of the fifth inning with a flare toward right field. Jon Berti had a bead on the ball, jumped, and seemed to make the catch, but the ball caromed off his glove and down for an RBI single.

The 5-foot-10 Berti was playing second base only because the 5-foot-11 Jazz Chisholm Jr. experienced lower back pain after one inning in the field. A dynamic player and rising start at the position, Chisholm’s absence nearly cost the Marlins again in the sixth. Donovan skipped a grounder to Berti, who rushed his throw and sailed it wide of first base for what was originally ruled a base it. Upon review, the official scorer changed it to a base hit. Donovan got to second before the inning came up empty with back-to-back groundouts.

Shortstop Miguel Rojas handled both, deftly.

Donovan daily double matches McGee That edit by the official scorer gave Donovan two hits through seven innings and his 34th hit of the month. Donovan was the first Cardinals rookie with 32 hits in June since Albert Pujols in 2001. A Cardinals rookie has not had 34 hits in the month of June since Willie McGee did in 1982. Donovan, the NL’s leader for hits by a rookie (54), shares a clubhouse with coach McGee and teammate Pujols, and hanging in that clubhouse is the retired number of the Cardinal with the record for hits as a rookie June.

The late Red Schoendienst had 44 hits as a rookie in June 1945.