Marlins Game Coverage

PHI 2, MIA 0; Sandy is Hot, Offense is Cold

After a rare outburst the previous night, the Marlins’ run production issues once again came to the forefront in this loss.

By Alex Krutchik May 26, 2021, 6:00am EDT

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at loanDepot Park.

The Philadelphia Phillies were just one swing better on Tuesday night.

Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara had perhaps his most efficient outing in his major league career, needing just 93 pitches to complete eight innings. He is the only Marlins starting pitcher to complete eight innings in 2021.

The odd part of Alcantara’s night was that he was allowing a lot of contact. Through the first six innings, he recorded just two strikeouts. He ended the night with four total.

Although Alcantara handled the contact well, there was one swing that made the difference Tuesday. In the fourth inning, Rhys Hoskins took a 100 MPH fastball and turned it into a two-run home run. Hoskins became the first right-handed batter to take Alcantara deep this season.

Those runs were the only runs scored between both teams Tuesday. The Miami offense didn’t give Alcantara any help whatsoever. For the second time this season, they gave Alcantara zero runs of support. In games started by Alcantara, the offense is averaging 4.09 runs per game.

“He seems to be the guy, at this point, that just doesn’t seem to get runs,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “You see that around the league where it seems like there’s a guy on every staff that just doesn’t seem to get runs. And Sandy has been that guy. He’s pitched really well, but at this point, he seems to be the guy that we can’t get runs for.”

To make matters worse for an already thin lineup, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. left the game after the eighth inning when he appeared to roll his right ankle while swinging at strike three.

Mattingly said Chisholm, Jr. was diagnosed with a mild right ankle sprain, and the team “will see where he’s at tomorrow.

While Jorge Alfaro played his first major league game in more than a month and Starling Marte just made his rehab stint debut with Triple-A Jacksonville, the Marlins added another name to the injury list. Brian Anderson suffered a left shoulder subluxation in Monday’s game against Philadelphia. Marlins general manager Kim Ng said Anderson will miss “several weeks.”

The Marlins face Philadelphia again on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher as of yet.