Marlins blank the Cardinals despite hitting into triple play.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

MIAMI _ Would you rather turn a triple play and lose, or hit into a triple play and win? The Marlins are one of the few teams that have an answer. Every time they hit into a triple play, they win, and every time they turn a triple play, they lose. They hit into their third triple play on Thursday and won for the third time, 4-0 over the Cardinals.

With or without a triple play, it would have been difficult to lose the way A.J Burnett pitched. He dominated one of the top hitting teams in the National League, stopping St. Louis on four hits to earn his major league-leading fourth shutout. Burnett also is tied for the NL lead in complete games with five. His four shutouts are a team record; Kevin Brown threw three in 1996.

Burnett, who threw a no-hitter last year, has seldom looked stronger. He threw 128 pitches and hit 99 mph on the radar gun in the ninth inning.

``Oh man, the way he pitched tonight . . . You just kind of sit back and become a fan,'' said Marlins first baseman Derrek Lee. ``It's fun to watch. That guy is special.

``He's throwing 99 in the ninth. They don't have much of a chance. He just turns it up a notch in the ninth. He gets hungry and he smells that win, and he is almost unhittable.''

Burnett knew exactly how overpowering his fastball was.

``I did a little peeking. It's fun to see,'' said Burnett, who hit 100 mph against the Braves earlier this season. ``I was feeling good in the ninth and letting it go. But if I'm hitting 99 in the ninth, it's just God-blessed.''