MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — Parker Messick pitched six strong innings, Chase DeLauter hit a two-run homer and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Friday night at loanDepot Park.

Messick allowed one hit and one earned run while striking out one batter, improving his record to 8-5. The left-hander retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced and did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, when Heriberto Hernández led off with a solo home run.

Cade Smith worked a perfect ninth inning for his 28th save of the season.

Sandy Alcantara took the loss for Miami despite striking out eight over seven innings. Alcantara allowed five hits and three earned runs, falling to 10-5.

The Guardians grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Brayan Rocchio led off with a sharp single to center field. DeLauter followed by driving a 1-0 pitch from Alcantara over the wall in right-center field for his 10th home run of the season, scoring Rocchio.

Cleveland added another run in the fifth. Austin Hedges singled and Steven Kwan followed with a single, moving Hedges to third. Travis Bazzana then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hedges and giving the Guardians a 3-0 lead.

Miami got on the board in the sixth when Hernández hit a solo homer to left field, his 13th of the season. The Marlins cut the lead to 3-2 in the seventh when Leo Jiménez led off with a home run to left-center field, his second of the season.

The Marlins threatened later in the seventh when Esteury Ruiz walked and Jakob Marsee singled to put runners at first and third with one out. But Guardians reliever Colin Holderman struck out Joe Mack and got Otto Lopez to ground out to first base to end the inning.

Miami put a runner on base in the eighth when Xavier Edwards singled off Hunter Gaddis, but Gaddis retired the next two batters. Smith set down the Marlins in order in the ninth to seal the victory.

The game lasted 2 hours, 24 minutes in front of an announced crowd of 15,605.

Cleveland improved to 49-46 with the win. Miami fell to 52-43.

The decisive moment came in the fourth inning when DeLauter connected off Alcantara. The drive came after Rocchio’s single and gave the Guardians a lead they never relinquished. DeLauter finished 2-for-4 with the home run and two RBIs.

Alcantara battled through the game, striking out eight while walking none, but the two-run homer proved costly. He allowed only three hits through the first three innings before the Guardians broke through in the fourth.

Messick was sharp from the start. He retired the side in order in the first inning, needing only seven pitches. He worked around a walk in the third inning, inducing a forceout and a flyout to strand a runner.

Messick’s performance was a rebound after two consecutive losses. On July 4 against the Chicago White Sox, he allowed five hits and one earned run in five innings but took the loss. On June 29 against the Texas Rangers, he gave up eight hits and four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.

The Guardians have now won two of their last three games after dropping three of four to the Chicago White Sox earlier in the week. Cleveland took Thursday’s game 5-2 at Minnesota before Friday’s win in Miami.

The Marlins had won three straight games entering Friday, including a 8-4 victory over Seattle on Thursday. Miami swept a three-game series against Seattle earlier in the week.

Cleveland’s bullpen held Miami scoreless over the final three innings. Holderman, Gaddis and Smith combined for two innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out two. Holderman worked 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit and striking out one. Gaddis pitched a full inning, allowing one hit and striking out one. Smith struck out none in a perfect ninth.

Miami got a strong relief performance from Ryan Gusto, who pitched two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one.

The Marlins mounted a late rally but could not complete the comeback. Jiménez’s home run cut the deficit to one, and the Marlins put the tying run at third base in the seventh inning before Holderman escaped.

Cleveland’s offense managed only five hits but made them count. Besides DeLauter’s homer, Rocchio had a single, Hedges had a single, Kwan had a single and Bazzana drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

For Miami, Hernández homered and singled, Jiménez homered, Marsee singled and Edwards singled. The Marlins had four hits total.

The Guardians will play the second game of this three-game series Saturday at loanDepot Park. Cleveland then returns home to face Pittsburgh on July 17, while Miami travels to Milwaukee on July 17.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami Marlins 7, Cleveland Guardians 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Miami with a 53.70 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 5 went over the over/under line of 7.