Marlins prevent late Astros rally to avoid sweep

Xavier Edwards connected on four hits, and Heriberto Hernandez homered and drove in two runs as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Houston Astros 6-4 on Wednesday.
The Astros, who failed to secure what would’ve been a three-game sweep, were led by Christian Walker, who slugged a two-run homer.
Miami played an exceptional game as the Marlins produced 14 hits, stole four bases, made no errors and had several fielding gems.
Perhaps the biggest play came with the bases loaded in the eighth inning when reliever Calvin Faucher made a backhand stab of a slow roller and threw out Walker on a close call at the plate.
Janson Junk (6-2) earned the win, going five innings and allowing five hits, two walks and three runs.
Lake Bachar pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second career save.
Spencer Arrighetti (1-2) took the loss, allowing 11 hits, one walk and five runs in 3 2/3 innings. It was his first appearance since April 5.
Houston took a 2-0 lead in the first as former Marlin Jesus Sanchez doubled and scored on Walker’s 417-foot bomb to left-center. That shot had a 113-mph exit velocity.
Miami grabbed a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first, putting together a rally that included six singles. Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez and Hernandez got the RBIs.
The Marlins extended their lead to 4-2 in the second as Edwards doubled, advanced on Kyle Stowers’ single and scored on Agustin Ramirez’s sacrifice fly.
Miami made it 5-2 in the third on Hernandez’s homer, which went 391 feet and got just over the glove of Sanchez in left field.
Houston cut its deficit to 5-3 in the fifth as Mauricio Dubon and Carlos Correa smashed two-out doubles. Sanchez nearly got Houston another run but his 106-mph grounder was fielded on a slick play by Edwards at second.
Graham Pauley led off the bottom of the fifth with a homer, extending Miami’s lead to 6-3.
Houston kept coming in the sixth as Walker singled and scored on Victor Caratini’s double. That made it 6-4.
But then came Houston’s base-loaded rally in the eighth. After Faucher threw Walker out at the plate, Houston nearly tied the score on Dubon’s blooper into short right field. However, Edwards chased it down for another stellar Marlins play.