By JERRY BEACH

NEW YORK (AP) — Sandy Alcantara pitched seven strong innings, Agustín Ramírez hit a two-run homer and the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets 5-1 in a game that got testy Sunday.

The scappy Marlins took three of four from New York after losing their previous seven series. The Mets finished 11-17 in August despite scoring 177 runs and hitting 53 homers — both franchise records for a calendar month.

New York leads Cincinnati by four games in the race for the last National League wild card.

Alcantara (7-11) allowed four hits and struck out six. He carried a shutout into the seventh, when he gave up a leadoff single to Jeff McNeil and plunked Mark Vientos with a pitch. Alcantara and Vientos stared each other down before the benches and bullpens emptied, though no punche

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