MIAMI (Interstat) — Brandon Young allowed three runs over six innings and the Baltimore Orioles built an early lead and held on to defeat the Miami Marlins 7-4 on Wednesday night at loanDepot Park in front of 6,607 fans.

The Orioles struck first with a three-run homer by Pete Alonso in the top of the first inning, but the Marlins answered with three of their own in the bottom half. Baltimore then added single runs in the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth innings to take control.

Baltimore’s outburst began when Taylor Ward walked and Adley Rutschman was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Alonso, who launched his seventh home run of the season off Marlins starter Eury Pérez. The blast to left-center field gave the Orioles a 3-0 lead.

Miami responded immediately in the bottom of the first. Connor Norby walked, Kyle Stowers singled, and Jakob Marsee ripped a two-run double to left field, scoring Norby and Stowers. After Christopher Morel walked, Owen Caissie singled to drive in Marsee, tying the game at 3.

Young settled down after the rocky first. He retired the side in order in the second and third innings, allowing only a walk and a single over that span while striking out two. The Orioles regained the lead in the fourth inning. Leody Taveras led off with a double and scored on a ground-rule double by Dylan Beavers, putting Baltimore ahead 4-3.

In the fifth, the Orioles extended the lead. Ward walked again, and Rutschman doubled down the right-field line to bring him home, making it 5-3. That chased Pérez, who departed after five innings having allowed five earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and four walks.

Young worked through the fifth and sixth without further damage. He finished his outing with four hits allowed, three earned runs, five strikeouts and two walks. It was a bounce-back performance for the right-hander, who had lasted only four innings and surrendered seven earned runs in his previous start against Houston on April 29.

Baltimore added another run in the seventh against reliever Dax Fulton. Ward drew his third walk of the game, and Rutschman followed with his second double of the night, a ground ball to left field that scored Ward. Fulton later escaped a bases-loaded jam by inducing an inning-ending double play.

Miami cut the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Grant Wolfram. Otto Lopez led off with a ground-rule double, moved to third on a lineout, and scored on a groundout by Xavier Edwards. Wolfram allowed a single to Liam Hicks but was relieved by Anthony Nunez, who struck out Norby to end the threat.

Nunez pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one. Rico Garcia worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out one and inducing a double play, to pick up his second save of the season.

Baltimore added an insurance run in the eighth off Fulton. Samuel Basallo singled, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a triple by Blaze Alexander, his first of the season. The triple was Alexander’s only official at-bat of the game.

Alonso finished 1 for 5 with the home run and three RBIs. Rutschman went 2 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs, reaching base four times including a hit by pitch and a walk. Marsee led Miami with a double and two RBIs.

Pérez (2-4) took the loss, his fourth of the season. Fulton allowed two runs over four innings of relief, striking out three.

The Orioles improved to 17-20, winning for the second straight night after defeating the Marlins 9-7 on Tuesday. Miami fell to 16-21, dropping the first two games of the three-game series. The teams will meet again Thursday in the series finale.

Baltimore continues a stretch of 10 consecutive road games, with the series finale in Miami followed by a homestand beginning Friday against the Athletics. Miami will host the Nationals over the weekend.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the early innings after both teams erupted for three runs in the first. The Orioles answered Miami’s tying rally by regaining the lead in the fourth and never relinquished it. Young recovered from a shaky first inning to hold the Marlins scoreless over the next five frames, allowing the Orioles’ bullpen to seal the victory.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami Marlins 4, Baltimore Orioles 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Miami with a 52.60 percent probability to win. Miami had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 11 went under the over-under line of 8.5.