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MIA 3, BOS 5; Marlins bats kept in check once again

Former Marlin Nathan Eovaldi held Miami scoreless over five innings and Boston took the series with a 5-3 win.

By Zach Letson
MLB: Boston Red Sox at Miami Marlins Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

Behind two big swings and strong pitching, the Red Sox took down the Marlins 5-3 Thursday to take the series. The loss drops Miami to 25-23.

Miami got a start good enough from a victory from José Ureña. The righty pitched 5 2⁄3 innings of scoreless ball before Boston’s Kevin Plawecki broke open a scoreless tie with a two-run single. With two down in the sixth, Don Mattingly went to the bullpen.

Johan Quezada pitched for Miami in the seventh, and didn’t have any better luck in his third career major league appearance. Red Sox rising star Rafael Devers torched a three-run bomb in the seventh, giving Boston some breathing room with a 5-0 lead.

“I can’t chase every game with my back-end guys...We had guys down today,” Mattingly said on the decision to go to Quezada when the score was still relatively close. “There’s times like that when everyone’s going to have to do their part. Gotta use those guys.”

Nathan Eovaldi got the start for Boston and was the second Red Sox starter in the series to keep Miami completely off the scoreboard. The former Marlin pitched five scoreless frames, punching out seven and gave up just two hits.

Miami finally responded offensively for the first time all afternoon in the home half of the seventh. Jorge Alfaro came off the bench to drive in Miami’s first run of the game with a single down the right field line to cut the deficit to four.

One batter later, Miami’s other catcher on the active roster, Chad Wallach, drove a ball into the left center gap to chase home Alfaro. Miami would then have runners on second and third in the seventh inning but only managed only one more run.

That would be all the scoring the Marlins could muster. Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes shut down the Fish in the eighth and ninth to hand Miami the loss and give Boston their first series win in all of September.

The Marlins are back at it on Friday with a crucial doubleheader. Rookie sensation Sixto Sánchez gets the start in the early game, as the Fish take on the Nationals Friday afternoon at 5:10 ET.

Marlins vs. Red Sox Box Score

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