LAD 1, MIA 2; Sandy Alcantara pitches fourth complete game

Miami, FL—The Miami Marlins got back in the win column Saturday night after another spectacular Sandy Alcantara start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Marlins ace had one of the most impressive starts of his career as he went all nine innings against one of the best lineups in MLB.

Sandy Alcantara picked up his fourth complete game of the season and the seventh of his career. Alcantara pitched all nine innings allowing six hits, one run, two walks, and ten strikeouts.

The two-time All-Star was able to bounce back very nicely after his last outing in which the Dodgers got the best of Alcantara (3.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). He was able to make some adjustments looked the Sandy Marlins fans have seen all season.

One adjustment Alcantara made Saturday night was his slider usage. Alcantara threw his slider 38 times, easily his highest total of the 2022 season in that department. It was his most-used pitch in the win. With few exceptions, he threw sliders near the edges of the strike zone, too close for the Dodgers to take yet too hard to square up.

“My breaking ball felt great today,” Alcantara said. “I was just trying to execute and locate my pitches.”

Alcantara did make one mistake pitch in his outing. He left a hanging slider over the heart of the plate to Mookie Betts and homered to left center. Betts homered twice on Friday against the Marlins and his home run against Alcantara was his 30th of the season.

As for the Marlins’ offense, they did just enough to get the win with their ace on the mound. At the top of the order, Joey Wendle and Jon Berti both recorded two hits.

In the bottom of the fourth, Berti had singled to right field with one out. He then stole second base—that was his MLB-leading 31st stolen base of the season. Brian Anderson drove in Berti with an RBI single to left but was called out at second on a controversial play that got Anderson ejected from the game.

Marlins rookie outfielder Jerar Encarnación came in for Anderson in right field and would come up with the game-winning hit in the sixth. After Wendle and Berti reached on two infield singles, Jerar singled through the 5-6 hole that scored Wendle from second making it 2-1 Marlins.

Alcantara generally got stronger as the game went along, but he had to battle in the ninth. Singles by Freddie Freeman and Will Smith and a walk by Justin Turner loaded the bases. After a mound visit from pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., Alcantara sealed the victory by getting Joey Gallo to ground out to first base.

Sandy Alcantara’s Postgame Press Conference

The Marlins have an early game Sunday afternoon as they’ll continue their series against the Dodgers. Rookie right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera will be on the mound for the Marlins Sunday afternoon. Cabrera has been lights out in the month of August as he carries a 0.00 ERA with 28 strikeouts in four starts.

Left-handed pitcher Julio Urias will get the start for Los Angeles. Urias has pitched very well this season for the Dodgers and will face a Marlins lineup that struggles mightily against lefties.

First pitch is at 12:05 pm EST exclusively on Peacock.