MIAMI (AP) - Ricky Nolasco figured his margin for error would be slim pitching against Matt Cain, and he was right.

Nolasco went seven innings Sunday but gave up three runs, and that was too many against Cain and the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Miami Marlins 3-2.

``I made one more mistake than Cain did,' said Nolasco (5-3). ``I knew he was going to be good. He always is. He just outpitched me today.'

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The Marlins right-hander gave up only five hits, but two were two-out extra-base hits that drove in runs.

Melky Cabrera tied a career high with four hits, including a home run, and scored all three Giants runs. Cabrera went 4 for 4 to hike his average to .369 and has 73 hits, most in the majors and the most by a Giants player through 48 games since Willie Mays in 1958.

``He's just hitting everything right now, so there's not much you can do,' Nolasco said. ``You make good pitches on him and he still finds a hole. Not fun seeing him when he's hot like that.'

Cabrera also stole two bases.

Cain (5-2) allowed two runs, one earned, and won for the fourth start in a row.

``He's always tough,' Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes said. ``You can go 0 for 4 easy.'

Santiago Casilla gave up one hit in 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his 12th save in 13 chances.

The teams split the four-game series. Miami, which has the best record in the majors since May 1 at 18-8, plays host to the NL East-leading Washington Nationals in a three-game series beginning Monday.

``They're playing with confidence, and so are we,' Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. ``I expect a pretty good series.'

Guillen's lineup Sunday included three position players batting under .190, and the Marlins mustered only six hits against Cain and three relievers.

Miami went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Teams are batting .138 against Cain in those situations this season.

``I was glad I was able to work around some jams I got myself,' Cain said. ``And then having the bullpen come in and pick me up was huge.'

Cabrera hit a two-out homer in the first. He led off the fourth with a single, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Angel Pagan.

After Cabrera singled with two out in the sixth, Buster Posey hit an RBI double off the center-field wall near the 418-foot sign to put the Giants up 3-1.

Cabrera, who totaled four hits for the third time this season, was shaken up when a throw hit him in the face as he slid stealing second base in the eighth inning, but he stayed in the game.

Cabrera went 9 for 18 in the series and is batting .426 this month.

``Melky was a one-man show this week,' Guillen said. ``He hit everything we threw - slider, curveball, changeup, and fastball.'

When the Giants shifted three infielders to the right side against Logan Morrison in the fifth inning, he foiled the strategy by bunting toward third for a hit to put runners at first and second. Cain retired the next two batters before Chris Coghlan singled home Miami's first run.

Miami scored an unearned run in the seventh after center fielder Pagan mishandled Bryan Petersen's single for an error - the 51st by the Giants, most in the majors. Petersen came home on a two-out single by Reyes that made the score 3-2 and put runners at the corners, but Sergio Romo came on to strike out Infante and end the inning.

Romo lowered his ERA to 0.61. Casilla pitched more than one inning to earn a save for the first time since Oct. 3, 2010, and he lowered his ERA to 1.29.

Notes: Before the game, the Marlins selected the contract of OF Justin Ruggiano, who was acquired in a trade with Houston. He pinch hit in the eighth and struck out. ... Marlins OF Kevin Mattison was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans, and RHP Jose Ceda (right elbow) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. ... Pagan made a diving, backhanded catch of John Buck's liner in left-center leading off the third inning. ... Aubrey Huff went 0 for 3 and is 2 for 20 (.100) lifetime against Nolasco. ... With a crowd of 30,199, the Marlins topped 30,000 at home for the 11th time. ... LHP Barry Zito, scheduled to start Monday when the Giants play the Diamondbacks, is 4-8 in 17 games against them with an ERA of 5.36.