MIAMI — Jason Alexander threw six scoreless innings and the Astros erupted for five runs in the fourth inning off Sandy Alcantara — matching their offensive output during last weekend’s sweep in Boston — to beat the Marlins, 8-2, on Monday night at loanDepot park.
The Astros, who were 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position when they were swept by the Red Sox, were 6-for-12 on Monday. Every starter had a hit or an RBI with the exception of center fielder Taylor Trammell.
Alexander allowed only one hit though five innings before escaping a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning by getting Otto Lopez to ground out. Alexander left the game after 97 pitches and was relieved by lefty Bryan King, who promptly gave up back-to-back pinch-hit home runs by Javier Sanoja and Derek Hill in the seventh.
Alcantara hadn’t allowed a run in 12 innings in his previous two starts and was perfect through three innings against the Astros before they sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth. Six of the first seven batters in the fourth got a hit for Houston, including an RBI double by Jesús Sánchez, an RBI single by Carlos Correa and a two-run double by Yainer Diaz.
