MIAMI (Interstat) – Sandy Alcantara struck out seven over seven innings of one-run ball as the Miami Marlins defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at loanDepot Park. Alcantara (5-4) scattered five hits, walked one and hit a batter. Otto Lopez doubled and tripled, driving in a run. Kyle Stowers added a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Miami scored twice in the sixth inning, then added two more in the seventh on a fielder’s choice that included a throwing error. Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead in the third on Yandy Díaz’s RBI single. Garrett Cleavinger (1-2) allowed two runs in the sixth and took the loss. Anthony Bender earned his second save with a scoreless ninth. Griffin Jax pitched five shutout innings of relief for the Rays, allowing three hits and striking out four. Otto Lopez tripled in the sixth and scored the tying run on Stowers’ sacrifice fly. Miami outhit Tampa Bay 5-6. The Marlins (31-35) clinched the three-game series and finished 3-3 against the Rays (37-25) this season. Attendance was 14,525. Time of game was 2:30.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — Sandy Alcantara pitched seven strong innings and the Miami Marlins used a pair of two-run innings to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 Sunday afternoon at loanDepot Park, taking the series two games to one. Alcantara allowed one earned run on five hits and struck out seven, improving to 5-4 on the season. The right-hander retired the side in order in the first inning, striking out Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda before Richie Palacios lined out to first baseman Kyle Stowers. He worked around a single and a caught stealing in the second, then surrendered the only run in the third. Tampa Bay struck first in the top of the third. Hunter Feduccia singled sharply to right field, and one out later, Taylor Walls forced him at second on a grounder to third. Yandy Díaz followed with a line-drive single to center field, scoring Walls from first base to make it 1-0. The Marlins answered in the bottom of the sixth. After Javier Sanoja struck out, Liam Hicks walked. Otto Lopez then tripled to right field, driving in Hicks to tie the game. Kyle Stowers lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Lopez and giving Miami a 2-1 lead. Miami added two more runs in the seventh in an inning marked by a defensive miscue. With one out, Esteury Ruiz walked and Jakob Marsee walked, putting runners on first and second. Joe Mack reached on a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop Taylor Walls, but the throw home to catch Ruiz was not handled cleanly by catcher Hunter Feduccia, allowing both Ruiz and Marsee to score. The error extended the lead to 4-1. Garrett Cleavinger took the loss for Tampa Bay, falling to 1-2. He pitched one inning, allowing two earned runs on one hit and two walks while striking out two. Anthony Bender earned his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and striking out one. Griffin Jax pitched five innings of four-hit, shutout ball for the Rays, striking out four and walking two. He left with the game tied 0-0 after the fifth, but the bullpen could not hold the lead. The Rays managed six hits in the game, all singles except for a double by Jonathan Aranda in the ninth. Yandy Díaz had two hits and drove in the lone run. Cedric Mullins struck out three times. Miami collected five hits, with Otto Lopez reaching base three times on a triple, a double and a single, driving in one run. Kyle Stowers had a single and a sacrifice fly. Jakob Marsee entered as a pinch hitter in the second and singled, then later walked twice. The game turned decisively in Miami’s favor during that two-run sixth inning. The Rays had led 1-0 since the third, with Jax keeping the Marlins off the board through five innings. But Lopez’s triple changed the momentum, and Stowers’ sacrifice fly provided the go-ahead run. Miami’s bullpen also contributed. Michael Petersen struck out two in a perfect eighth inning, and Bender closed it out in the ninth. Tampa Bay had opportunities early but could not capitalize. In the fourth, Richie Palacios singled but was erased on a double play. In the fifth, Ryan Vilade singled, Taylor Walls was hit by a pitch, but Yandy Díaz grounded out to end the threat. The Rays stranded four runners and struck out 11 times. The loss dropped Tampa Bay to 37-25, while Miami improved to 31-35. The Rays had won the series opener Friday 6-0 but fell 4-3 on Saturday. The Marlins have now won two of three head-to-head meetings against Tampa Bay at home this season, improving to 3-5 in the season series. Miami’s offense was patient, drawing five walks and forcing the Rays’ pitchers into deep counts. Tampa Bay’s staff combined for 15 strikes, 45 balls and 15 balls in play, while Miami pitchers threw 17 strikes, 58 balls and 17 balls in play. The game lasted two hours, 30 minutes in front of 14,525 fans. Alcantara rebounded from a rough outing May 26 in Toronto, when he allowed eight earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. In his previous start June 1 at Washington, he threw seven innings of three-run ball and earned a win. Griffin Jax continued his strong stretch for Tampa Bay, lowering his season ERA after a five-inning scoreless outing. But the Rays’ bullpen could not hold the tie, as Cleavinger and Cole Sulser combined to allow three runs in the sixth and seventh. The Rays will return home to host the Boston Red Sox for a three-game series beginning Monday, while the Marlins welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami Marlins 4, Tampa Bay Rays 3, matching the actual result. Interstat’s ELO system had given Tampa Bay a 52.3 percent probability to win, but the Rays were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The combined five runs went over the over-under line of 8.

AP Sports Preview Rays at Marlins: Florida rivalry series concludes Sunday MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins close their three-game weekend series Sunday evening at loanDepot Park. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. EDT under clear skies with temperatures around 85 degrees. Probable Pitchers Right-hander Sandy Alcantara (4-4, 3.72 ERA) is listed as Tampa Bay’s probable starter. Alcantara has posted one quality start in his last three outings. Miami’s starter has not been confirmed. Records and Playoff Implications The Rays (37-24) lead the American League East by 2 1/2 games. The Marlins (30-35) sit in fourth place in the National League East, 10 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves. A win Sunday would give Tampa Bay its second series victory in Miami this season; the clubs split a three-game set at loanDepot Park in May. Series Recap The Marlins evened the series Saturday with a 4-3 win. Miami’s Lake Bachar threw three scoreless innings of relief, striking out three. Javier Sanoja homered and drove in two runs. Tampa Bay’s Casey Legumina pitched two innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts. On Friday, the Rays won 6-0. Players to Watch Tampa Bay’s Legumina has been effective in a middle-relief role. In his last seven appearances, the right-hander has allowed two earned runs over 10 2/3 innings, striking out 11. Legumina did not allow an earned run in four of those outings, spanning 6 2/3 innings. Miami’s Bachar has been dominant of late. Over his last three appearances, Bachar has thrown 8 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out nine. He has not allowed a run since May 30 at New York. Betting Line Tampa Bay is a minus-1.5 favorite, per BetMGM Sportsbook. The over/under is 8 runs. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-3 Marlins victory. Upcoming Schedules The Rays open a three-game home series Monday against the Boston Red Sox. The Marlins host the Arizona Diamondbacks for three games beginning Tuesday.