Sandy Alcantara Records First Career Save
Sandy Alcantara has made 201 major league starts. He had never recorded a save. Wednesday night in Phoenix that changed — in the wildest way possible.
With the Miami Marlins clinging to a 4-3 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning and the Marlins fighting for their playoff lives at 76-77, manager Clayton McCullough made a decision nobody expected: he called on his ace starter, who had thrown 101 pitches in a no-decision at Arizona just two days earlier.
Alcantara, who leads all of baseball with 206 innings pitched this season, walked to the mound for only his ninth career relief appearance — his first since October 1, 2017, when he was a rookie with the Cardinals.
He threw 13 pitches. He got two deep flyouts. He walked Lars Nootbaar. Then catcher Joe Mack threw out pinch-runner Jordan Lawlar trying to steal second to end the game. Save recorded. First one of his career.
"I was just trying to be ready and help," Alcantara said.
The Diamondbacks fall 3.5 games behind San Diego for the final NL Wild Card with nine games left. The Marlins are 76-77 and still technically alive.
