MIAMI -- In town only for the day, the St. Louis Cardinals played in front of a spring training-like crowd against a common spring training opponent and had surprising spring training-like results.

If, that is, it was the final day of spring training.

As if sprinting for their flight out of Florida, the Cardinals didn't muster much against Florida Marlins starter Chris Volstad and lost, 4-0.

The game took 1 hour, 52 minutes.

It is the shortest game in Marlins' history, by 2 minutes.

The shutout was the second of Volstad's career and it was only the third time in the righthander's career that he allowed no runs in a start.

The game hinged on a grand slam and the throw from the outfield that came shortly before it. In the second inning -- the only inning in the breezy game that featured any runs -- there were two runners on when Chad Tracy lofted a fly ball to Colby Rasmus for an out. But the Cardinals second-year center fielder's throw soared over his cutoff man to third base, allowing both runners to move up 90 feet. That triggered a series of events that Chris Carpenter couldn't contain.

With first base open and a slugger up, Carpenter elected to intentionally walk Mike Stanton and face the next batter, rookie catcher Brad Davis. Carpenter fell behind him, 2-0, and then fed Davis a fastball that he hit for a home run.

Davis added four RBIs to career total, giving him 14.

The grand slam was the first allowed by the Cardinals this season, and it was the first ever hit by a Marlins' catcher. (Charles Johnson one hit a grand slam as a pinch-hitter before staying in the game at catcher.)

The Cardinals managed five hits against Volstad, who entered with a 5.11 ERA, and it was three before the change of a scoring decision. Matt Holliday, who originally reached on an error in the sixth, was awarded a hit three innings later. It didn't improve the look of the Cardinals' offense. Twice Holliday was stranded at second base.

Volstad did not allow a Cardinal to reach third base all game.

The Cardinals jet from Florida tonight to Pittsburgh, where they will open a three-game series against the Pirates. The Cardinals have six games remaining on the road before returning home to finish the regular season at Busch Stadium.

-30-