MIAMI -- A one-out, bases-loaded jam is a nightmare scenario for any pitcher.
That’s the predicament Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara found himself in during the first inning of Miami’s 11-2 loss to the Braves on Tuesday night at loanDepot park.
So ending his outing with two earned runs in a seven-inning outing (104 pitches) was a more-than-positive outcome for the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner.
Alcantara threw four straight balls to open the game, before allowing a one-out single to Ronald Acuña Jr. and walking Michael Harris II. Marcell Ozuna got the Braves on the board with a squib groundout on a half swing, but Alcantara made quick work of Ozzie Albies to escape the inning, retiring him on two pitches.
Meanwhile, the Marlins’ offense jumped on Braves starter Hurston Waldrep in the first inning, collecting two hits off of his impressive splitter (on which opponents were hitting 2-for-33 with 22 strikeouts heading into the night). They had four in all during the frame, quickly tying the game at 1-1 via a Jakob Marsee single.
The offense’s quick response seemed to ignite Alcantara, who settled into a groove following his rocky first. He went 1-2-3 in the second and third, then he nearly had a clean fourth. But Albies turned on a fastball for a go-ahead HR that put Atlanta up 2-1.
The homer didn’t faze Alcantara though, who fanned Nacho Alvarez Jr. to end the frame and collected seven straight outs to carry him into the seventh.
Albies bested him again in the seventh with a one-out double, but Marlins manager Clayton McCullough entrusted Alcantara -- who’d reached 95 pitches -- with two more outs to end the frame.
And the Marlins’ ace rewarded his manager’s faith, striking out Alvarez on a 98.8-mph heater, before putting out Sean Murphy to end his night.
McCullough emphasized that Alcantara earned his trust based on his consistent body of work.
“Sandy, what he’s done and what he does do between starts,” McCullough said, “whether that’s in the weight room, the training room, how he takes care of himself, his mound work between starts … that’s been incredibly consistent all season long.
“I think that’s just a testament to his professionalism and his character, that no matter how some of the results were turning out, Sandy showed up each day as a pro. … Sandy’s earned a lot, and he’s pitched very well, and he’s at a juncture this season where he’s just as strong … when he’s at those pitch counts. … He knows how to finish innings. He’s done that for a long time in his career. We’re just seeing a version now where the execution is matching the stuff … and we’re getting three really high-quality starts in a row.”
Alcantara’s outing helped keep Miami in the game through eight innings, but Atlanta unleashed nine runs in the top of the ninth -- highlighted by a three-run homer from Albies -- to slam the door shut.
Nonetheless, Alcantara was efficient with his business, and he earned his 900th career strikeout in the process, coming against Acuña Jr in the sixth.
Tuesday marked the second consecutive start in which Alcantara reached 100 pitches, after hurling 114 last Wednesday vs. St. Louis. He gave up two runs (one earned), while striking out a season-high nine in Miami’s 6-2 win. That came after he allowed one run and fanned seven over six innings in his prior start at Boston on Aug. 15.
That puts Alcantara's ERA at 1.80 over his last three starts, averaging more than 100 pitches per outing.
“Everything feels different,” Alcantara said of his last few games. "After you’re realizing that you’ve been having great results in the last three outings, it makes you feel great and happy. I used to be very angry and mad at myself, because I didn’t have the results I was looking for. But now I feel more relaxed.”
For Alcantara, trusting himself and the process of the grind has paid major dividends.
“I think my routine, everything has to be on base on my routine,” he said. “I like … working to get better. … When you have a routine that you know [works] … you don’t need to worry about [performing]. My routine has been great to me, and I think I’ve just got to keep doing.”
There’s a reason Alcantara’s nickname is “El Caballo” (The Horse), and he’s showing why he’s still among the best pitchers that baseball has to offer.