Alfaro’s homer halts Dodgers’ winning streak
Jorge Alfaro slugged a tie-breaking homer in the bottom of the eighth inning as the host Miami Marlins snapped the Los Angeles Dodgers’ nine-game win streak with a 5-4 victory on Monday night.
David Hess earned the win in his Marlins and 2021 MLB debut.
Rookie Anthony Bender pitched a scoreless ninth, earning his first career save. He pitched around a Jon Berti throwing error.
Reliever Victor Gonzalez (3-1) allowed Alfaro’s blast to left-center. Gonzalez, one strike from pitching a scoreless inning, threw Alfaro a 1-2 slider at 86 mph.
Marlins rookie Trevor Rogers, named to the All-Star Game on Sunday, pitched five innings and left with a 4-2 lead, allowing six hits, no walks and two runs, striking out eight. However, he was left with a no-decision.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler also picked up a five-inning no-decision, his shortest appearance of his season. He allowed five hits, two walks and four runs, three earned.
All-Stars Mookie Betts and Max Muncy and 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger were not in the Dodgers’ starting lineup, but all three pinch-hit in the eighth, when L.A. scored twice to tie it 4-4. METS 4, BREWERS 2 >> Pete Alonso broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double off AllStar Brandon Woodruff, and New York beat visiting Milwaukee in a matchup of National League division leaders.
Edwin Díaz pitched out of trouble in the ninth, retiring three straight batters with two on after giving up an RBI single to Tyrone Taylor.
Michael Conforto added an RBI single and Dominic Smith had a sacrifice fly for the Mets, who managed only one hit against an efficient Woodruff (7-4) through six innings.
Still, they improved to 25-11 at Citi Field with another stingy pitching performance — New York began the day with a 2.08 ERA at home that was best in the majors — and reached the midpoint of the season with a 4437 record.
Rookie right-hander Tylor Megill, with his parents in the stands for his third big league start, allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out seven in five impressive innings.