Alcantara sharp, Lopez homers to pace the Marlins past the A’s, 7-2

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sandy Alcantara allowed one run with a season-high eight strikeouts in eight innings to win his seventh consecutive start, leading the Miami Marlins past the Athletics 7-2 on Saturday night.

Otto Lopez homered and had three hits and three RBIs for Miami to celebrate his first All-Star selection. Joe Mack and Kyle Stowers also connected while Liam Hicks added three hits for the Marlins (48-42).

Alcantara (10-4) gave up six hits and walked one against the A’s to extend the longest winning streak by a Marlins starter since 2016. Tyler Zuber pitched the ninth. Miami has won eight of 11.

Lopez, the National League leader in hits entering the day who will join teammate Max Meyer in the All-Star Game, hit a two-run home run off A’s starter Aaron Civale in the third. The 27-year-old infielder also got to Civale for an RBI double in the fifth for his 38th multi-hit game before the All-Star break, an ongoing Marlins record.

Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Carlos Cortes each had two hits for the A’s. Manager Mark Kotsay’s club has lost four of five on its homestand and 10 of 13 overall.

Mack put the Marlins ahead with his third home run in four games, a 449-foot drive off Civale leading off the third.

After Hicks singled, Lopez added his seventh home run to make it 3-0.

Stowers hit his 11th home run off Kade Morris in the seventh.

Civale (5-6) had six strikeouts and allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Up next

Athletics LHP Gage Jump (3-2, 2.29 ERA) was set to face RHP Eury Perez (4-6, 4.21) on Sunday in the series finale.

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