Marlins snap Dodgers' 9-game win streak

Article content

Jorge Alfaro slugged a tie-breaking homer in the bottom of the eighth inning as the host Miami Marlins snapped the Los Angeles Dodgers’ nine-game win streak with a 5-4 victory on Monday night.

David Hess earned the win in his Marlins and 2021 MLB debut.

Rookie Anthony Bender pitched a scoreless ninth, earning his first career save. He pitched around a Jon Berti throwing error.

Reliever Victor Gonzalez (3-1) allowed Alfaro’s blast to left-center. Gonzalez, one strike from pitching a scoreless inning, threw Alfaro a 1-2 slider at 86 mph.

Marlins rookie Trevor Rogers, named to the All-Star Game on Sunday, pitched five innings and left with a 4-2 lead, allowing six hits, no walks and two runs, striking out eight. However, he was left with a no-decision after Los Angles rallied.

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler also picked up a five-inning no-decision, his shortest appearance of his season. He allowed five hits, two walks and four runs, three earned. He struck out six.

Offensively, Buehler doubled and scored a run. His third-inning drive reached the wall in left-center on two hops. The exit velocity on that double (102 mph) made it the third-hardest-hit ball of his career.

That two-bagger helped give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead as he scored on Chris Taylor’s double. Justin Turner’s RBI single later in the inning capped the rally.

The Marlins, however, scored three runs in the bottom of the third. With two outs and none on, Starling Marte was hit by a pitch. He then stole second and scored on Garrett Cooper’s RBI single.

After a single by Adam Duvall, Miguel Rojas stroked an RBI single, and second baseman Zach McKinstry’s throwing error on a Jesus Sanchez grounder gave the Marlins a 3-2 lead.

Miami played small ball to take a 4-2 lead in the fourth. Joe Panik bunted for a hit, stole second, went to third on catcher Will Smith’s throwing error and scored on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s single.

The Dodgers tied the score in the eighth, scoring two runs charged to reliever Zach Pop. Albert Pujols singled, and Smith and Max Muncy walked to load the bases. Hess replaced Pop and walked Gavin Lux on five pitches to cut the Marlins’ advantage to one run. Cody Bellinger then hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-4, as his long fly just missed becoming a grand slam.

After a walk to Mookie Betts loaded the bases again, Hess escaped by getting Taylor to fly out and striking out AJ Pollock.

–Field Level Media

Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis.