Marlins ride momentum of fast start into rematch vs. A's

The Miami Marlins will look to replicate the powerful start in the series opener when they aim to defeat the Athletics again on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.

The Marlins erupted for six first-inning runs while posting a 12-5 victory in Friday's opener. Heriberto Hernandez hit a three-run homer and Jakob Marsee added a solo shot during the uprising.

"It was really good at-bats and a couple homers there in the first," Miami manager Clayton McCullough said afterward. "We got off to a good start."

Kyle Stowers went 4-for-5 with two homers, three RBIs and three runs for the Marlins, who halted a two-game slide. Owen Caissie added a solo shot as Miami matched a season high for homers.

McCullough was glad to see his squad tack on more runs after the Athletics got back into the contest.

"I don't know if you can ever have enough (runs) here," McCullough said of Sutter Health Park, known to be friendly for offenses. "For us to get off to a really great start and to be able to hang in there as it tightened up and extend the lead, it was a good day."

Stowers (quadriceps) left in the eighth after his second homer, and McCullough termed it as precautionary.

Standout shortstop Otto Lopez had two hits to raise his major league-leading batting average to .337. The multi-hit outing was his 37th before the All-Star break, surpassing the franchise mark of Miguel Cabrera (36 in 2006).

The Athletics likely won't have star catcher Shea Langeliers on Saturday.

Langeliers sustained a left thumb contusion during Friday's game. A's manager Mark Kotsay said after the contest that Langeliers underwent X-rays and we'll be evaluated further on Sunday.

Kotsay said the injury occurred on a passed ball in the first inning. Langeliers went to catch the pitch from Jack Perkins and it hit in the thumb area of the glove and bounced away for a Marlins' run.

Nick Kurtz hit a two-run homer and Jeff McNeil had a three-run double for the Athletics, who have lost nine of 12 games.

Kotsay was pleased with the offense.

"The positive is we had a chance to tie the game with a hit," said Kotsay, referring to the fifth inning when the A's trailed by two. "We had bases loaded and two outs with Alika (Williams) up. If he gets a hit, it's a tie game.

"From that standpoint, the offense did its job and got us back in the game."

Former National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara (9-4, 4.20 ERA) will start for the Marlins on Saturday, and the right-hander is looking for his seventh consecutive victory.

A win would give the 30-year-old his third double-digit victory campaign in his past four seasons. His career high of 14 victories came in his award-winning 2022 season.

Alcantara pitched in the high altitude of Denver on Monday when he allowed five runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies.

He gave up three or fewer runs in the first five starts of the winning streaks.

Alcantara received a no-decision in his lone career start against the A's. He gave up five runs and six hits in seven innings in that 2023 outing in Miami. Jeff McNeil is 12-for-40 (.300) with one homer against Alcantara from his time with the New York Mets.

Right-hander Aaron Civale (5-5, 5.05) starts for the A's. He has dropped four consecutive starts and is winless in his last five turns.

Civale, 31, lost to the Los Angeles Angels last Sunday when he gave up four runs (three earned) and six hits over five innings. Civale is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in two career starts against the Marlins.

--Field Level Media