The sellout crowd in the Miami Marlins' new ballpark cheered the introduction of their starters. There was another roar for Muhammad Ali, who delivered the ceremonial first pitch. Then Kyle Lohse and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals went to work, and the place grew quiet. Lohse held Miami hitless until the seventh inning and pitched into the eighth to help the Cardinals win the first game in Marlins Park, 4-1 Wednesday. The Marlins' new animated home-run sculpture never budged. It was the fourth inning before they even managed a baserunner, and by the time they scored in the eighth, they trailed 4-0. The crowd of 36,601 included newly retired Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who quietly cheered for his former team from the press box. He watched Lohse retire the first 10 batters before hitting Emilio Bonifacio with a pitch. The runner was erased when Hanley Ramirez grounded into a double play. Newcomer Jose Reyes singled for Miami's first hit to start the seventh, and Omar Infante scored the Marlins' run in the eighth on John Buck's double. Lohse went 7 1-3 innings, allowing only two hits and one run. The right-hander led the Cardinals last year in victories and ERA but got the call for opening day only because ace Chris Carpenter is sidelined with nerve irritation that has caused weakness in his pitching shoulder. David Freese, the World Series MVP, had a two-run single in the first inning to give Lohse the cushion he needed. Freese and Rafael Furcal each had three of the Cardinals' 13 hits. Jason Motte earned the save with a one-hit ninth to complete the four-hitter. Things were so bad for new manager Ozzie Guillen's team that Marlins ace Josh Johnson recorded the ballpark's first strikeout — but as a hitter. Johnson allowed 10 hits and three runs in six innings. The 2010 NL ERA leader was pitching for the first time since last May 16, when shoulder inflammation ended his year. Ramirez, making the switch to third base from shortstop, had an especially rough night. He drew scattered boos when he pulled up rather than dive for a grounder to his left, and he failed to throw out Furcal on a bunt that went for a hit. Ramirez also struck out with a runner aboard in the ninth to finish 0 for 4.
