MIAMI (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi pitched five shutout innings and struck out seven, and the Miami Marlins stumbled in their playoff run with a 5-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Rafael Devers had a three-run homer, Kevin Plawecki hit a two-run single and Alex Verdugo had three hits for the Red Sox. Seeking its first postseason appearance since winning the 2003 World Series, Miami is second in the NL East . The Marlins fell three games behind division-leading Atlanta, which was idle. Eovaldi (3-2) didn't allow a hit until Garrett Cooper's leadoff double in the fifth. Miguel Rojas singled but Eovaldi struck out Jazz Chisholm and Chad Wallach, then retired Corey Dickerson on a groundout. A 30-year-old right-hander who was with the Marlins from 2012-14, Eovaldi was lifted after 76 pitches in his second appearance since returning Sept. 12 a stint on the injured list caused by a strained right calf. Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless eighth, and Matt Barnes got three straight out for his eighth save in 11 chances. Jose Ureña allowed two runs, five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts. Plawecki hit a two-run single in the sixth on the ninth pitch of an at-bat, chasing Ureña with a hard grounder past diving third baseman Brian Anderson. Boston had been hitless in 13 straight at-bats against the Marlins with runners in scoring position . Devers hit his 11th homer in the seventh, a drive off Johan Quezada. Miami closed in the bottom half on pinch-hitter Jorge Alfaro's RBI single, Chad Wallach's run-scoring double and Starling Marte’s RBI groundout. Alfaro homered twice , then left that game after taking a foul ball off his helmet. He was tested for a possible concussion following the game, manager Don Mattingly said. TRAINER’S ROOM: Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (heart inflammation caused by COVID-19) returned to Boston this week for additional tests. Rodríguez missed this season. Marlins: INF Jon Berti (cut right finger) had stitches removed and is working out at the alternate training site. UP NEXT: Red Sox: LHP Martín Pérez (3-4, 4.33) is to start the opener of a three-game Friday against the visiting New York Yankees and LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-2, 4.76). Marlins: RHP Sixto Sánchez (3-1, 1.69) is to start one of the games of Friday's doubleheader against Washington. The rookie won his major league debut at Washington on Aug. 22, allowing runs three runs in five innings. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports