Rookie Nick Kurtz tripled for his first career extra-base hit in the ninth inning and scored the tiebreaking run as the Athletics edged the host Miami Marlins 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.

Kurtz looped a one-out, opposite-field triple down the left field line off Anthony Bender (1-2). The hit had an exit velocity of just 89 mph, but it was well placed and followed by Tyler Soderstrom’s pinch-hit RBI single to center as the A’s took the rubber game of the three-game series.

Mitch Spence (1-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Tyler Ferguson notched his first save of the season as the A’s rested closer Mason Miller, who allowed five runs in the ninth inning of Saturday’s loss.

Miami’s Edward Cabrera allowed seven hits, two runs and one walk with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. JP Sears lasted 6 1/3 innings for the A’s, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Miami threatened in the first as Xavier Edwards led off with a single and stole second, but he was stranded.

The A’s took a 2-0 lead in the second on a rally set up on back-to-back singles by Miguel Andujar and Jacob Wilson. Two outs later, Gio Urshela drilled a two-run double to left center.

Former Marlins catcher Jhonny Pereda nearly made it 3-0 with a single, but center fielder Dane Myers threw Urshela out at the plate. Nick Fortes made a great catch on the one-hop throw up the line and lunged to make the tag.

Miami tied the score in the fourth on a rally started by two-out singles from Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers. Myers drove them both home with a double to right center.

The A’s chased Cabrera in the sixth as Andujar walked, stole second and advanced to third on Wilson’s single.

Miami brought in lefty reliever Anthony Veneziano, who froze Kurtz on a 1-2 slider that caught the bottom of the strike zone.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kyle Stowers, who had the game-winning grand slam Saturday, struck out to end the game.

–Field Level Media