Alcántara's impressive shutout sweeps the Mets

Sandy Alcántara needed only 89 pitches to throw nine shutout innings and complete the sweep for the Miami Marlins against the New York Mets.

Alcántara only allowed two base hits (soft liners) by J.D. Davis and only one runner reached second base, because of his own error in the eight after a chopper hit right to him that caught Starlin Castro in between him and Miguel Rojas.

Sandy Alcantara is the 2nd Marlins pitcher in franchise history to throw a 9-inning complete game shutout in fewer than 90 pitches, joining Henderson Alvarez on June 3, 2014.

(h/t @SlangsOnSports) pic.twitter.com/oSJ64LT4Kn

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) 19 de mayo de 2019

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The very next hitter swung at the pitch Sandy and Chris Wallach wanted and grounded into the third double play of the night for Alcántara.

That was the only hiccup of his outing, which reminded the few fans that still follow the team how much fun is to sweep a series.

G U T S Y

What a huge moment for Alcantara to come back from 3-0 and get the inning ending double play. 8 scoreless. Wow.

— jeremy taché (@jeremytache) 19 de mayo de 2019

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Sandy Koufax Alcantara

7 IP 2 H 0 BB 0 ER 6 K

62 pitches 👀

— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) 19 de mayo de 2019

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This was his first career complete game and, of course, the best outing of his career so far.

Sandy struck out eight batters, and lowered his ERA to 4.25, winning his second game of the season, to bring the Marlins’ record to 13-31.

Just enough for Alcántara and López

The Marlins were productive enough with the few hits they got Saturday and Sunday.

Two runs for Pablo López, who was also impressive after getting drilled a week ago by the same team in New York, and three for Sandy to complete the job.

Stat from @MarlinsMedia

This is just the 3rd time in franchise history that @Marlins starters recorded 7-plus shutout innings with 2-or-fewer hits in consecutive games

Sandy Alcantara & Pablo Lopez

Brad Penny & Jesus Sanchez

Kevin Slowey…. & Jose Fernandez@SwingsAndMishes

— Five Reasons Sports Network (@5ReasonsSports) 19 de mayo de 2019

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Rosell Herrera, who got to start in center field after Berti was scratched out of the lineup an hour before the game, started things in the sixth inning with a double and then scored when Granderson hit into a double play.

The second run came thanks to Neil Walker’s double, and a great slide to avoid Nido’s tag at the plate after a Miguel Rojas fly ball to short center field.

Just enough for Alcántara, who got his third insurance run thanks to another Carlos-Peña-like journey by Curtis Granderson.

Curtis Granderson goes deep.

It’s 3-0.

Marlins about to sweep the Mets. pic.twitter.com/dLg4WWjVO9

— Five Reasons Sports Network (@5ReasonsSports) 19 de mayo de 2019

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Great pitching backing clutch hitting

Friday night’s laser show against Jacob DeGrom after getting shutout twice by the Tampa Rays got Trevor Richards his first win of the year, after several great outings that didn’t reward him.

Nick Anderson couldn’t do his job, but Sergio Romo came back again and pitched two great innings to get the save and cut the losing streak in seven.

#JuntosMiami

Un fin de semana de ensueño para los lanzadores de los Marlins ante los Mets:

Pablo López 🇻🇪: 7.0 IP, 1H, 0CL, 2BB, 7K

Sandy Alcántara 🇩🇴: 9.0 IP, 2H, 0CL 1BB, 8K

Fotos y diseño de @TonyCapobianco pic.twitter.com/i1AQR7fSwD

— Alejandro Villegas (@alejandrovg32) 19 de mayo de 2019

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On Saturday we saw Pablo López going back to it, making adjustments and dominating an offense that hit him at ease on his previous outing.

Berti’s homer leading off and Brian Anderson’s clutch RBI with two outs in the third were the only support the Marlins needed that day.

#JuntosMiami Pablo López con una salida espectacular. Siete innings en blanco, permitiendo solamente un imparable (un doble abriendo el encuentro), con siete ponches, y apenas dos bases por bolas. Eso es hacer el ajuste luego de ser bateado con libertad por este mismo equipo pic.twitter.com/fyMgQVkJFk

— Cinco Razones Podcast (@CincoRazonesPod) 18 de mayo de 2019

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Pablo López allowed a double to open the game, and that was the only hit the Mets had against him, Tyron Guerrero and Adam Conley.

On Sunday, Sandy Alcántara did even better, allowing just two hits and getting it done all by himself.

Sandy Alcantara live presser! #JuntosMiami https://t.co/t3HAgQuBij

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) 19 de mayo de 2019

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Three hits in eighteen innings against hitters like Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Wilson Ramos, and Robinson Canó is just very impressive.

The Marlins scored only five runs with eleven hits between those two games, but that’s what great pitching and defense do. Hide those bad spots.

Now they’ll be traveling to Detroit and Washington, two teams way under .500, to play seven games on the road.

Caleb Smith is the first one in line to pitch. You all know what that means…

Was this Callaway’s last call?

The Mets got to Miami with a 20-22 record thinking about sweeping to try to get back to the race in the National League east.

However, everything went south.

Jacob DeGrom was ambushed by the worst offense in baseball and the late comeback wasn’t enough to get the Mets a win in the first game of the season.

Then, they only had three hits in games two and three of the series.

Mickey Callaway is in a hot spot in New York now. After all, getting swept by the worst time in baseball is never positive.

Mickey Callaway needs to be unemployed at this time tomorrow. Getting swept by this Marlins team is grounds for dismissal. See-ya! Three hits in two days??? Three!!!!!!????? #Mets

— Tom #LGM #FinsUp (@Hotstover) 19 de mayo de 2019

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