Stowers ends 31-game homer drought, Alcántara solid over 6 innings to help Marlins beat Braves 5-3

MIAMI (AP) — Kyle Stowers ended a 31-game home run drought, Sandy Alcantara pitched six strong innings and the Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Sunday in the rubber game of their three-game series.

Otto Lopez had two hits and drove in two runs, and Xavier Edwards singled twice, doubled and had an RBI for the Marlins.

Alcántara (4-8) allowed three runs and six hits, walked two and struck out four. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner has completed six innings in three of his last four starts.

Anthony Bender tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Alcántara, Calvin Faucher got the last two outs in the eighth and Ronny Henriquez pitched the ninth for his second save.

López and Dane Myers hit run-scoring singles off Braves starter Bryce Elder in the fifth to put the Marlins ahead 4-2.

Elder (2-4) allowed five runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Braves struck quickly against Alcántara on Austin Riley’s RBI single in the first.

But Stowers tied it at 1 with a solo homer in the second. It was Stowers’ 11th homer of the season and first since he went deep twice against the Chicago Cubs on May 14.

Atlanta retook the lead on Drake Baldwin’s run-scoring single in the third before Miami tied it again when López hit an RBI single in the bottom half.

Key moment

Edwards hit a run-scoring single in the sixth to give the Marlins another two-run lead after the Braves narrowed it on an RBI fielder’s choice by Alex Verdugo in the top half.

Key stat

The Marlins finished 6-4 in a 10-game stretch against NL East opponents. They are 12-12 against the division this season.

Up next

RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (5-4, 3.26) will start the opener of the Braves’ four-game series at the New York Mets on Monday. The Marlins begin a three-game series at San Francisco on Tuesday with RHP Cal Quantrill (3-7, 5.68) scheduled to start the opener.

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