Marlins offense supports Alcantara by setting new season high in runs

MIAMI, FL—Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara did not look like himself in his first start since coming off the paternity list. Thankfully, his offense backed him up, scoring a season-high seven runs off of 11 hits. The Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals by a final score of 7-6 with Alcantara earning his second win of the year.

Pitching for the first time since April 1, Alcantara went 5 ⅔ innings, allowing four runs off of five hits, walking four and striking out just one. The last time he made a start without recording multiple strikeouts was June 16, 2023 (also against the Nationals).

"It's not what I wanted," said Alcantara postgame. "At the end of the day, we won and that's what we are really looking for. It's now about getting better."

In the top of the fourth, Alcantara walked Alex Call and after two consecutive base hits, Nathaniel Lowe drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the first run of the ballgame. Former Marlins first baseman Josh Bell, who hit a home run on Friday, drove in two more runs on a single. The Marlins ace would keep the Nationals offense at bay for the most part until the sixth inning when he surrendered a base hit to Amed Rosario, giving Washington their fourth run of the game and knocking him out.

Overall, Alcantara is not working as deep into games as we are used to seeing, averaging just barely over five innings per start so far. In his last season before Tommy John surgery, he went 6.60 innings per start.

"I think there were a lot of misses that were just very close," said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. "He was really around the zone. There were a lot of close pitches that he just didn't get. I thought they had a pretty good approach and probably trying to see him up some, and probably giving him the bottom."

Thankfully, the Marlins offense offered Alcantara plenty of support. In the bottom of the second inning, Matt Mervis hit his fourth home run of the season, giving the Marlins an early 1-0 lead. His fourth home run marks the most on the Marlins and it's just two shy of the MLB lead. In the following inning, Kyle Stowers drove in Graham Pauley with a bases-loaded sac fly and Nationals starter Trevor Williams threw a wild pitch, which brought in Miami's third run.

On the first Marlins road trip of the season, Mervis slashed .353/.389/.881/1.271 with three home runs and six RBI. McCullough believes pitches that were previously foul balls are finally going Mervis' way.

"Clicked a couple in Atlanta," said McCullough. "That was a big day for him. Get rewarded for good swings and a good approach and took it into New York. I think he's still getting good pitches to fire at. Right now, he's, seeing through the ball really well, he's pulled some, but I think the path is better, kind of through the middle of the field, allowing him a little bit more length and the ability to stay on some of those pitches."

Eric Wagaman was hitless in his last 12 at-bats entering the bottom of the fifth inning. On the first pitch, Wagaman ripped a 106.6 mph double to left field to retake the lead, 4-3. Griffin Conine drove in two more for Miami on an RBI double, marking his second multi-hit game of the season.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kyle Stowers laced an RBI double to center field, driving in the seventh run of the game. That marked Stowers' third multi-hit game of the season. He now has an .828 OPS this season.

Quietly, former waiver claim Ronny Henriquez has been one of the Marlins' best relievers. Through five appearances, Henriquez has posted a 1.23 ERA, striking out nine against four walks.

"We like his ability to spin the ball," said McCullough. "He's got a good fastball that can ride up and in the zone. He can throw multiple innings. You can use him in shorter bursts, and also feel good with him against right or left, so having that neutrality there, having that mix that can get both sides out."

Like many Marlins pitchers, Henriquez recently added a sweeper to his arsenal. Thus far, he's thrown it 24.8% of the time. On Saturday, it had the highest usage rate and generated two whiffs, using it to strike out Amed Rosario swinging.

"It was added during spring training by our pitching coaches," said Henriquez through translator Luis Dorante Jr. "At first, it was very difficult to maintain control/command of the of the pitch because I didn't know exactly the effect and movement it was going to have. Now I see that it's very effective and I'm not gonna stop using it."

With the win, the Marlins are now at an even 7-7 on the season and will search for their second series win in Sunday's rubber match. Cal Quantrill will take the mound for Miami while MacKenzie Gore will try to continue his dominant start to the season.