Late Surge Decides Game
Alex Alvarez and Javier Baez delivered the decisive blow in the eighth inning, hitting consecutive home runs to lift the Houston Astros to a 5-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday at Daikin Park. The back-to-back blasts erased a one-run deficit and provided enough insurance for the home team to secure the win in front of 26,099 fans.
The game remained tightly contested through the middle innings. Miami took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Allen singled to right field, allowing Diaz to score and advancing Spence to third. The Marlins extended their advantage to 2-0 in the third inning when Peña launched a 383-foot home run to left field.
Houston began to chip away at the lead in the fourth inning. Sanoja doubled to right field, driving in Conine to make it 2-1. Mack followed with a single to left, scoring Sanoja and tying the game at 2-2. Despite the tying runs, the Marlins managed to hold the line until the eighth inning, thanks largely to strong pitching performances.
Pitching Highlights
Miami starter Sandy Alcantara worked seven innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits while striking out three. He took the loss, dropping his record to 10-6. Calvin Faucher closed out the Marlins' effort with a perfect inning, recording two strikeouts.
