The Miami Marlins will try to halt their slide on Thursday when they send ace Sandy Alcantara to the mound in the finale of their four-game home series against the Atlanta Braves.
Atlanta bounced back from dropping the series opener to win the next two games and claim a 4-2 lead in the season set.
The Marlins have lost 11 of their last 17 games and to fall 12 games behind the first-place Braves in the National League East.
Thursday’s starting matchup features Alcantara (3-2, 3.53 ERA) against Atlanta’s Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.45) in a battle of right-handers.
“We’re certainly capable of getting on a good run and stringing some wins together but we’re not doing that,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said. “We have a long road ahead of us and we just keep taking a step forward. We have a chance to even up a series with Sandy on the mound and that’s what we’ll be focusing on.”
Alcantara has gone four starts without receiving a decision. In his most recent outing on Saturday against Tampa Bay, he pitched six innings and allowed one unearned run with six strikeouts in a game the Marlins eventually won 10-5 in extra innings.
“Sandy deserves lot of credit, not only for how he pitched but for how that fifth inning could have really gotten away from him,” McCullough said after that game. “We didn’t take care of the ball behind him, uncharacteristic for a couple of guys. That’s where his maturity, his veteran-ness, his poise, to say, ‘You know what, I’m one pitch away from getting out of this.'”
Alcantara has made 16 career appearances (all starts) against the Braves, going 5-5 with a 3.31 ERA.
Strider began this season on the injured list with a right oblique strain and will be making his fourth start. The past two outings have been strong — six shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 19 and one run allowed in 5 1/3 frames versus the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He was credited with the 7-2 win against the Dodgers and took a no-decision as the Braves beat the Red Sox 3-2 in 10 innings.
“I would have liked to get deeper, put the pen in a better position,” Strider said after the game against Boston. “Didn’t command the ball very well with two strikes, got deep into counts. Not going to be spectacular every time out but felt like made pitches when I needed to.”
In five career appearances (three starts) against Miami, Strider is 2-2 with a 2.38 ERA.
In the 9-1 Atlanta win on Wednesday, Otto Lopez had two hits for the Marlins, upping his MLB-leading total to 68 raising his batting average to .349. It was his 11th multi-hit effort of the month.
Atlanta’s Michael Harris II batted second in the lineup for the second straight game, going a combined 4-for-10.
Dominic Smith and Austin Riley each had a three-run homer.
Both teams made a roster move on Wednesday.
The Marlins sent Braxton Garrett to Triple-A Jacksonville and recalled fellow left-hander Cade Gibson. Atlanta activated Eli White, who had been on the concussion list, and designated fellow outfielder Jose Azocar for assignment.
–Field Level Media
