Ryan McMahon and Nolan Arenado homered to back a strong outing from starter Jon Gray, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Miami Marlins 3-0 on Friday night in Denver.

Gray (11-8) went eight innings and gave up five hits in the opener of a three-game series. He struck out seven without issuing a walk.

It was the second time he has pitched eight innings in his past four outings and the third time this year he didn't give up a run in a start.

Scott Oberg pitched the ninth for his fifth save in eight opportunities.

Sandy Alcantara (4-11) wasn't quite as sharp as Gray, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks in seven innings. He fanned two.

The game was delayed for 20 minutes in the bottom of the third inning due to lightning strikes that hit around Coors Field.

McMahon gave Colorado the lead in the second inning. Yonder Alonso led off with a walk but was erased on Raimel Tapia's fielder's choice to third base. Tapia's speed prevented a double play, and McMahon took advantage.

McMahon blasted Alcantara's 1-0 slider into the Miami bullpen for his 15th home run and a 2-0 lead.

The Marlins had threatened in the top of the second when Starlin Castro and Harold Ramirez opened the frame with singles to put runners on first and second. Gray then struck out Lewis Brinson and got Bryan Holaday to ground into an inning-ending double play.

The strikeout started a streak of 15 straight batters retired by Gray, who wasn't affected by the delay. The streak was broken when Neil Walker, who was activated pregame from the 10-day injured list, tripled high off the wall in right-center field with one out in the seventh.

Gray got Starlin Castro to fly out to shallow center, and Harold Ramirez lined out to Alonso at first base to strand Walker.

Arenado gave the Rockies an insurance run with a solo homer in the eighth, his team-leading 28th and the second straight game he has gone deep.

Walker hadn't played since Aug. 3 due to a finger injury.

--Field Level Media