ASTROS DEFEAT MARLINS
Astros lineup comes alive in much-needed response
Aug 5, 2025, 10:17 am
The Astros beat the Marlins, 8-2. Composite Getty Image.
Jason Alexander pitched six scoreless innings, Jeremy Peña doubled twice and the Houston Astros used a five-run fourth to beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Monday night.
Alexander picked up his second win of the season after holding Miami to three hits. He struck out six and walked one.
The Astros built a 5-0 lead during a disastrous fourth by Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (6-10), who was perfect his first time through the Houston order before giving up six hits in the inning.
Peña led off the fourth with a double. Jesús Sánchez then drove in Peña with a double in his first game against his former team, which dealt him to Houston at the trade deadline. Yainer Diaz added a two-run double, Carlos Correa had an RBI single and Christian Walker drove in another run on a fielder’s choice.
Alcantara allowed nine hits and six runs. He struck out five over seven innings and threw 100 pitches.
Peña made it 6-0 with an RBI double in the seventh.
Astros reliever Bryan King allowed back-to-back pinch-hit home runs to Javier Sanoja and Derek Hill that made it 6-2 in the seventh. Sanoja connected on a 91 mph fastball and sent it 402 feet to left center. Hill drove a 1-2 sweeper to left.
Pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubón restored Houston’s five-run lead with an RBI double in the eighth, and Cam Smith added an RBI single.
Key moment
After loading the bases on consecutive two-out base hits and a walk, Alexander (2-1) got Otto Lopez to ground out to keep Miami scoreless in the sixth.
Key stat
The Marlins had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Up next
Marlins RHP Cal Quantrill (4-8, 4.79) will start the middle game of the series. Houston has not yet announced Tuesday’s starter.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.