Alcantara pitches 7 strong innings and Marlins top Mets 5-1 to take 3 of 4 in series

NEW YORK (AP) — Sandy Alcantara pitched seven strong innings, Agustin Ramirez hit a two-run homer and the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets 5-1 in a game that got testy Sunday.

The scrappy Marlins took three of four from New York after losing their previous seven series. The scuffling Mets finished 11-17 in August despite scoring 177 runs and hitting 53 homers — both franchise records for a calendar month.

New York leads Cincinnati by four games in the race for the last National League wild card.

Alcantara (8-11) allowed four hits and struck out six. He carried a shutout into the seventh, when he gave up a leadoff single to Jeff McNeil and plunked Mark Vientos with a pitch. Alcantara and Vientos stared each other down before the benches and bullpens emptied, though no punches were thrown as players milled around the mound.

Alcantara induced a pair of forceouts, the second of which scored McNeil, before striking out Starling Marte to end the inning. The right-hander has a 2.82 ERA in his past eight starts after opening the season with a 7.14 ERA through 19 outings.

Otto Lopez had a first-inning sacrifice fly against Kodai Senga (7-6), who gave up a two-run homer to Ramírez in the third and an RBI single to Heriberto Hernandez in the fourth.

Senga allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings. He has a 5.90 ERA in nine starts since coming off the injured list July 11.

Key moment

Senga retired seven straight batters before Jakob Marsee doubled with two outs in the third. Ramírez followed with his 386-foot homer.

Key stat

Senga has given up at least five runs in two of his last three starts after allowing five or more runs just once in his first 49 major league starts.

Up next

The Mets embark upon their penultimate road trip of the season Monday, when LHP Sean Manaea (1-2, 5.01 ERA) starts against RHP Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.25) and the Detroit Tigers.

The Marlins had not announced a starter for Monday, when they visit Washington. LHP Andrew Alvarez makes his major league debut for the Nationals.

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A previous version of this story was corrected to update the won-loss records of both starting pitchers.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb