Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Todd Wellemeyer and three Cardinals relievers combined on a four-hit shutout, and Ryan Ludwick provided all the offense in St. Louis' 3-0 win over the Florida Marlins in the finale of a four-game series.

Wellemeyer (10-4), a former Marlin, gave up just three hits in 7 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and four walks as he lowered his ERA on the season to 3.79. Ludwick hit a two-run homer and an RBI double for the Cards, who took three of four from the Marlins.

"I felt pretty good all day," Wellemeyer said. "I wish I could have gone nine (innings). But, I was pretty tired out there. It's a good team (Marlins) and I kept the ball down on them. So, it's what I had to do."

Scott Olsen (6-8) gave up three runs on 10 hits in seven frames, with six strikeouts and no walks, to take the loss for the Marlins, who have dropped five of seven. Florida fell to 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Mets in the NL East, after New York beat Washington on Thursday.

"It's definitely frustrating when we can't find the big hit that we need," Marlins first baseman Mike Jacobs said. "Unfortunately that's baseball. You've just got to keep pushing and keep going. The season doesn't end tomorrow so we've got to go out there and try to win this next series (against the Cubs)."

Cesar Izturis singled to right to get the Cardinals started in the third. He then stole second as Olsen made a pickoff throw to first baseman Jacobs. Jacobs' throw to second was wild, allowing Izturis to advance to third.

Ludwick then laced a pitch into left for a two-bagger, and the Cards took a 1-0 edge.

The St. Louis right fielder, in the midst of a career year, belted a fly ball over the fence in left-center with one out and one man on in the seventh. The two-run shot, Ludwick's 30th of the season, boosted the Cards to a 3-0 lead.

Wellemeyer, meanwhile, cruised after getting out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the third. He beaned Dan Uggla to start the fourth, but quickly erased him on Jeremy Hermida's double play. Hermida's twin-killing started a string of 13 straight Marlins retired by Wellemeyer before he walked Hanley Ramirez and gave up a single to Luis Gonzalez with two outs in the eighth.

Russ Springer came out of the bullpen and struck out Jorge Cantu to end that threat, though, and Ron Villone and Ryan Franklin worked around one hit in the ninth to nail down the win.