MIAMI — The Tampa Bay Rays’ two-week slide deepened with a 4-1 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park Sunday afternoon, dropping the AL-best club to 3-10 over its last 13 games and marking the first time Tampa Bay has lost back-to-back series since April 17-22.

Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara dominated, cruising through seven innings with seven strikeouts while allowing just one run on five hits and a walk. The Rays’ lone run came on an RBI single by Yandy Díaz in the third inning — their only hit in four at-bats with runners in scoring position.

“We’ve got some guys that are going through it right now. We’ve got them on the pitching side, on the offensive side, and we’re just not clicking for whatever reason,” manager Kevin Cash said. “But we’re going to continue to work to get going. I don’t think anybody in there feels too good about themselves at the plate right now and certainly what’s gone on the last 10 days or so.”

The numbers tell the story of a lineup in free fall. Tampa Bay is hitting .232 with a .684 OPS during the 13-game stretch, down from .261 with a .724 OPS over the club’s first 49 games. The Rays have scored three runs or fewer in eight of their last 10 losses. Personnel losses have compounded the problem — outfielders Jake Fraley and Jonny DeLuca are out, and Chandler Simpson’s playing time has been managed due to a bruised left thumb. Even the Rays’ core hitters are struggling: Junior Caminero went 0-for-9 the past two days, and Jonathan Aranda is off to a 2-for-22 start in June.

Starter Griffin Jax gave Tampa Bay five scoreless innings, but the bullpen unraveled in the sixth. Lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger issued a one-out walk to left-handed-hitting DH Liam Hicks, then left a two-strike fastball over the plate to Miami shortstop Otto Lopez, who ripped a game-tying RBI triple to right-center and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Stowers.

“Anytime I go in and walk a lefty, it’s not going to be a good situation. Got to be better there,” Cleavinger said. “That kind of led to some other things that took us down a bad path that inning, for sure.”

The Marlins tacked on two more in the seventh after reliever Steven Matz walked Esteury Ruiz and Jakob Marsee with one out. Ruiz stole third and Marsee stole second, putting both in position to score on a grounder to shortstop Taylor Walls. Walls fired home to catcher Hunter Feduccia, who tried to apply the tag before securing the ball. It rolled to the backstop, allowing Marsee to score from second.

“I think it was a good throw. I think I was just being too quick, tried to put the tag on too quick,” Feduccia said. “As I went to go swipe, just missed the ball. … I’ve got to catch the ball in that situation. No excuse.”

Matz acknowledged his command was off despite feeling good physically after a previous start in which his fastball velocity dipped. “Part of my identity is to be a strike-thrower and having command,” Matz said. “I just can’t walk guys, that’s the bottom line, and that’s really what’s getting me in trouble.”

Cleavinger expressed confidence the clubhouse would right itself. “I think it’s just kind of how baseball goes sometimes. You go through little stretches here and there,” he said. “I know our guys in this room will get it turned around, and we’ll be just fine. We got off to a good start, so we all know it’s in there.”

The Rays return home to begin a new series at Tropicana Field, where the club will look to snap its skid against fresh opponents.