JP Sears, bullpen stifle Marlins as Athletics win 5th straight

May 4, 2024, 8:26 AM | Updated: 8:42 am

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - MAY 03: Darell Hernaiz #2, Lawrence Butler #4 and JJ Bleday #33 of the Oaklan...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Sactown Sports

The Miami Marlins kicked off the post-Luis Arraez era with a whimper Friday night, accumulating just seven hits off JP Sears and three relievers as the host Oakland Athletics opened a three-game interleague series with a 3-1 victory.

Arraez, the defending National League batting champion, was scratched from the lineup minutes before the first pitch, reportedly having been dealt to the San Diego Padres for four prospects.

The second baseman, who won an American League batting title for the Minnesota Twins in 2022 before a trade to Miami, was the Marlins’ top hitter this season with a .299 average.

Brent Rooker hits a DEEP blast 💣 pic.twitter.com/zUmwFxpFuL

— A’s on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) May 4, 2024

More on Athletics vs. Marlins

Miami then saw a three-game winning streak end when Brent Rooker smacked a two-run homer, Sears worked 6 1/3 shutout innings and the A’s recorded a season-best fifth straight win.

Rooker’s homer came off Miami starter Ryan Weathers (2-3), who dueled Sears into the last of the fourth before allowing his first hit of the game — a single by Abraham Toro. Rooker followed with his sixth homer of the season, a 440-foot bomb to center field for a 2-0 Oakland lead.

The A’s tacked on a run in the fifth when Max Schuemann doubled and scored on an error by shortstop Tim Anderson.

Weathers was pulled after six innings, having allowed three runs and five hits. He struck out six and didn’t walk anyone.

Up 3-0, Sears (2-2) went one out into seventh before handing the ball to the Oakland bullpen. The left-hander gave up just four hits and one walk while striking out six.

The Marlins ended Oakland’s seven-game run of scoreless outings by its bullpen when Nick Gordon reached on a two-out infield single in the ninth and scored on Vidal Brujan’s second double of the game.

Lucas Erceg, who had been called upon to get the final out of the eighth with the Marlins threatening, then got Jesus Sanchez to ground out to notch his second save.

Toro, promoted to third in the lineup after a recent hot stretch, collected a single and a double for the A’s, who improved to 4-0 on their 10-game homestand.

Brujan had three hits for the Marlins, who outhit the A’s 7-5.

–Field Level Media