Rookie Nick Kurtz tripled with one out in the ninth inning and scored on a pinch hit by Tyler Soderstrom to lift the Athletics to a 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.
Kurtz sent an 0-1 pitch from Anthony Bender (1-1) down the left-field line and Soderstrom singled up the middle two pitches later to give the Athletics the three-game series and improve to an AL-best 13-7 on the road.
Lynne Sladky / AP
The Athletics (19-16) grabbed the lead in the second when Miguel Andujar and Jacob Wilson led off with singles against Marlins starter Edward Cabrera. Both scored on a two-out double by Gio Urshela. Dane Myers threw Urshela out at home on a single by Jhonny Pereda to end the inning.
Miami tied it in the fourth with a two-out, bases-empty rally off Athletics starter JP Sears. Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers had base hits and Myers drove in both with a double.
Sears allowed two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. Mitch Spence (1-0) got five outs for the win and Tyler Ferguson retired three straight for his first save.
Cabrera gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3.
Key moment
Kurtz notched his first extra-base hit in his 11th game since being called up from Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom moved from first base to the outfield to get the 6-foot-5 Kurtz in the lineup.
Key stat
Athletics closer Mason Miller was unavailable after throwing 28 pitches Saturday and blowing the save on a walk-off grand slam by Stowers.
Up next
- Athletics: RHP Luis Severino (1-3, 3.30) starts Monday in the first of three against Seattle to begin a six-game homestand. The Mariners will start RHP Bryce Miller (2-3, 3.52).
- Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-3, 8.31) starts Monday’s opener of a three-game series against the Dodgers, who have not named a starter.