Sandy Alcantara struggles as Marlins' postseason hopes continue to fade

[Kevin Barral]

MIAMI, FL - Sandy Alcantara, known for being the stopper of the Miami Marlins rotation and resetting the bullpen, wasn't up for the task on Tuesday night against the New York Mets. On the strength of three home runs, Alcantara allowed the Mets to take a commanding 7-0 lead. The Marlins fought hard to dig themselves out of that hole, but ultimately fell by a final score of 7-5.

Alcantara struggled from the very first pitch of the game, serving up a leadoff homer to Francisco Lindor. Juan Soto and Brett Baty later went deep as well. Alcantara went 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits (three home runs), walked four and struck out one.

"I feel very bad about the job that I did tonight," Alcantara said postgame. "Knowing the the position that we are right now, losing is devastating for us. Just gotta get hot and keep things together and just be out there and fight."

On the other side, Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea tossed five perfect innings.

In the sixth inning, the Marlins finally broke through and scored four runs of Manaea. Jakob Marsee, who led the inning off, hit a double. Jared Serna recorded his second career RBI, bringing Marsee home from second and making it a 7-1 game. An unlikely source of offense in Brian Navarreto drove Serna home with a single. An Otto Lopez and Javier Sanoja RBI single made it 7-4.

"Very proud of the group," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. "Not the start of the game that we were hoping for to get down, but climb out and make things really interesting and even those last couple innings to create some traffic and have a chance there. We hung in there and probably got behind the eight ball a little bit too much, not able to to overcome it."

On the bright side, Jakob Marsee had a three-hit day, his fifth of that kind this season. He drove a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to make it 7-5. Jared Serna, who was recently called up, collected his first multi-hit game of his career.

"Jared put together really aggressive swings tonight, and good for him," McCullough said. "He got an opportunity to go play and had a nice game."

With the loss and another Arizona Diamondbacks win, the Marlins dropped to six games out of the final NL Wild Card spot with only 16 games left on their schedule. The Marlins will look to avoid the sweep on Wednesday with Janson Junk taking the mound.

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[Leo Armbrister]

Sandy is a great pitcher but he had a bad day. So did Eury the day before. The Marlins chances for making the playoffs were set at the trading deadlines. The team needed a starting pitcher and a quality right hand hitter. When we traded Hicks instead we told the team that getting to the playoffs was not a high priority. The ownership will never do what is needed to win unless they are willing to spend some money. 

[David Slaton]

21 minutes ago, Leo Armbrister said:

Sandy is a great pitcher but he had a bad day. So did Eury the day before. The Marlins chances for making the playoffs were set at the trading deadlines. The team needed a starting pitcher and a quality right hand hitter. When we traded Hicks instead we told the team that getting to the playoffs was not a high priority. The ownership will never do what is needed to win unless they are willing to spend some money. 

I agree with you that the message was sent at the trade deadline that they were not going to go for it. But honestly, the team sent its own message before the deadline with the 12 game losing streak. You're not going to have a good season with a 12 game losing streak. They weren't a pitcher and a batter away from real competition with a 12-game losing streak. The GM made the right call here. This is a 500 team, not a playoff contender.

[Jose Herrera]

Making the playoffs this season was never going to be guaranteed with or without Liam Hicks. Our team is still great, but the coaches and players need to stop moping around.

I know they’re tired, but did we really put all this effort throughout the season just to take a dive in the end?

[1993 fan from start]

Yes Sandy had a bad game. That he help created.  Nothing change when he went to the mound after the first inning. I dont understand that.  You think he would See what Mets are doing.  Elite pitcher do that.  And no team bets them.  Excapt the best player on the other team....I would like to seen more of leg kick and stand colser to the 3b on the mound for Sandy. Change it up at lest.

TV crew talking inngs lol. when they don't show it on graphics.  Game pitch what they show.   HOPE marlins get a good annoure  replacement next year.

Again anther game Marlins lose with J.Sanja hitting out of order .   Marlins have winning record with him hitting 9th last  I CHECK.     

Yes I belive it was A bad line up..  Not counting B.Nvarrato. Cuse he make up for it behind the plate.

what does the Marlins have to show for D. De Los Santos  During playoff race? 

AT lest the guy I had more faith in showing me more Jared Serra .  but need more ab to see who he is.   

Diffrent in Sandy bad game vs Eury is age

 

[1993 fan from start]

2 hours ago, Leo Armbrister said:

Sandy is a great pitcher but he had a bad day. So did Eury the day before. The Marlins chances for making the playoffs were set at the trading deadlines. The team needed a starting pitcher and a quality right hand hitter. When we traded Hicks instead we told the team that getting to the playoffs was not a high priority. The ownership will never do what is needed to win unless they are willing to spend some money. 

IT  was more then HICKS . I think it was Lake , bringing up Agustin, Being wrong about Puley and  Leo Jimenez choicing over Norby.  

  and not sending Owens down after his 145 game,  NOW they got draft pick . ..  Not understanding he struggling right now

Everyone thought the HICK TRADE WAS good , problem none the return Players Marlins got. Was not  Mlb Ready to play day one . team want to see them in spring traning.

 

[Hippyboi]

I agree that they should have done more at the trade deadline, but let's be honest.

Eury has been miserable in his last 3 starts and Sandy has been bad in his last three. If we had won 4 of those we'd be 2 games out

[One Regend]

You have to wonder if the league is seeing something that the Marlins coaching and Eury/Sandy is not, because my goodness, they both been shelled three games in a row and neither of them are adjusting. None of the games they've pitched even resembles watchable.