Marlins' Alcantara pitches 1:57 CG, majors' 1st this season
Miami Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings, left, shakes hands with starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara after a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Miami. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
MIAMI — Sandy Alcantara pitched the major leagues’ first complete game this season, a three-hitter that led the Miami Marlins to a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, who pitched six of the big leagues' 36 complete games last season, struck out five and walked one in a 1-hour, 57-minute game that was the shortest of the season.
Avisaíl Garcia homered in the second inning for the game’s only run.
Twins starter Kenta Maeda, who missed last season after having Tommy John surgery, struck out nine before leaving in the sixth with an apparent arm issue. The 34-year-old Maeda (0-1), who had not pitched since Aug. 21, 2021, allowed three hits and threw 79 pitches.
Alcantara (1-0) threw 68 of his 100 pitches for strikes. He bounced back from a 5 2/3-inning outing on opening day against the New York Mets in which he allowed three runs and walked four.
Alcantara retired the first 11 batters before Trevor Larnach beat out a soft grounder to third for an infield single in the fourth.
The crowd of 10,668 cheered Alcantara as he jogged to the mound to start the ninth. Alcantara allowed Carlos Correa’s one-out single before retiring Larnach on a double-play grounder for his 10th career complete game and fourth shutout.
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Miami. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
The Twins lost for the first time after starting the season with four straight victories.
García gave the Marlins the only run they would need when he drove Maeda's slider over the wall in left for his first homer.
CLEAR VIEW FROM TOP
The stadium roof was open for the third time in the Marlins' homestand. That equaled the total the club played without the roof closed last season.
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Miami. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
HONOR FOR ARRAEZ
Former Twin Luis Arraez was presented his 2022 Silver Slugger Award before the game. The reigning AL batting champion posed for photos with his family and Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and hitting coach Rudy Hernandez. Minnesota traded Arraez to Miami in January.
ROSTER MOVES
The Marlins recalled INF/OF Garrett Hampson and LHP Braxton Garrett from Triple-A Jacksonville. The club also selected the contract of LHP Daniel Castano from Jacksonville. RHP Jeff Lindgren was designated for assignment. Lindgren relieved Johnny Cueto Monday after the veteran starter exited in the second inning because of right bicep tightness and pitched five innings in his major league debut.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: OF Max Kepler (right knee soreness) underwent an imaging test Tuesday and manager Rocco Baldelli doesn’t expect him to miss extended time.
Marlins: Cueto and INF Joey Wendle (strained rib-cage muscles) were placed on the 15-day and 10-day injured lists, respectively. The results on Cueto’s MRI didn’t reveal much inflammation.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Pablo López (1-0, 0.00) will start the series finale against his former club Wednesday afternoon. López spent the first five seasons of his career in Miami before he was dealt to Minnesota Jan. 20. LHP Jesús Luzardo (1-0, 0.00) will start for the Marlins.
