Lopez's pitching helps Marlins defeat Indians
Pablo Lopez allowed one run on two hits in 6 1/3 innings as the visiting Miami Marlins posted a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.
Jorge Alfaro belted his team-leading fourth homer to lead off the fifth inning and Curtis Granderson added an RBI double for the Marlins, who have won three of their last four games on the heels of losing 13 of 15.
Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco exited the contest after four innings with left knee discomfort. Carrasco was covering first base in the fourth when he was injured following an awkward dive for an off-target throw from Carlos Santana.
Carrasco was replaced to start the fifth by Neil Ramirez (0-1), who saw his first-pitch fastball deposited over the wall in right field by Alfaro. The blast marked the eighth time this season that Miami has led off an inning with a home run.
Granderson recorded the Marlins' third hit in the inning by ripping a liner down the right-field line to plate Isaac Galloway. Martin Prado launched a sacrifice fly to right field to allow Jon Berti to scoot home and give the Marlins a 3-0 lead.
The offense was more than enough for Lopez (2-3), who allowed his first hit of the evening to Jose Ramirez, a one-out single in the sixth inning. Santana promptly grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Indians have lost three straight games.
Lopez snapped a three-start losing skid after striking out six and walking two batters. He exited in the seventh and Tyler Naquin greeted reliever Adam Conley with a two-out RBI single, but the reliever fanned Francisco Lindor to end the inning.
Conley and Drew Steckenrider bridged the gap to Sergio Romo, who retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his third save.
Brian Anderson recorded the game's first hit with a single to right with two outs in the fourth inning. He advanced to third after Neil Walker's hard grounder initially was misplayed by Santana, with the first baseman compounding the issue by throwing wildly to the covering Carrasco.
Miami failed to capitalize as Starlin Castro grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
--Field Level Media
