MIAMI (AP) — Sandy Alcantara struck out seven in seven innings of one-run ball, Otto López doubled and tripled, and the Miami Marlins beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Sunday.
Kyle Stowers singled and hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly for the Marlins, who clinched the three-game series and finished 3-3 against their in-state rival this season.
A day after using seven pitchers in a 4-3 win, the Marlins counted on Alcantara (5-4) to provide length. And the veteran
right-hander responded with his second consecutive outing of seven innings or more and fifth of the season. Alcantara scattered five hits, walked one and hit a batter.
Michael Petersen relieved Alcantara and threw a perfect eighth. Anthony Bender worked around a leadoff walk for his second save.
López hit a one-out RBI triple and scored on Stowers’ fly to deep left to give Miami a 2-1 lead in the sixth.
Garrett Cleavinger (1-2) relieved Tampa Bay starter Griffin Jax and walked Liam Hicks. López followed with a drive toward the warning track in right-center, scoring Hicks from first.
The Marlins increased the lead to 4-1 against former starter Steven Matz in the seventh without a base hit.
Esteury Ruiz and Jakob Marsee drew one-out walks and successfully completed a double steal. They both scored when catcher Hunter Feduccia dropped shortstop Taylor Walls’ throw after Walls fielded a grounder hit by Joe Mack and attempted to throw out Ruiz at the plate.
Yandy Díaz put Tampa Bay on the board with an RBI single in the third. Walls reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second before Díaz hit a line drive that dropped in centerfield.
Jax allowed three hits as he matched a season-high five innings. He walked two and struck out four.
Rays: Have not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game home set against Boston on Monday. LHP Connelly Early (5-3, 3.26) will start for the Red Sox.
Marlins: RHP Max Meyer (6-0, 2.81) will start the opener of a three-game home series against Arizona on Tuesday. The Diamondbacks have not announced a starter.
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