MIAMI (AP) – Sandy Alcántara pitched two-run ball for seven innings, rookie Máximo Acosta homered for his career hit and the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 on Wednesday night.
Heriberto Hernández had three hits and two RBIs and Troy Johnston singled twice for the Marlins, who avoided a three-game series sweep.
Alcántara (7-11) scattered five hits and struck out a season-high nine. It was the 29-year-old right-hander’s third outing of the season that lasted seven innings.
Acosta, who was hitless in eight at-bats since being called up Monday, hit a fastball from Cardinals starter Andre Pallante 418 feet over the wall in center in the sixth inning to increase Miami’s lead to 5-2.
The Cardinals had cut their deficit to 4-2 in the top of the inning Willson Contreras’ solo homer, his 17th.
Hernández scored from third on a double-play groundout in the second, and gave the Marlins a 3-0 lead with a two-run single in the third.
Lars Nootbaar’s RBI double in the fifth put the Cardinals on the board before Johnston hit a run-scoring single in the bottom half to give the Marlins another three-run advantage.
Pallante (6-11) was lifted after 5 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs and eight hits with four strikeouts.
RHP Sonny Gray (11-6, 4.30 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Thursday. The Rays will go with RHP Joe Boyle (1-2, 4.68). First pitch at George M. Steinbrenner Field is scheduled for 6:35. Pregame coverage begins at 5:40 with Ameren Total Access, Thursday’s game can be heard on KTLO 1240 AM.
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