Alcántara hurls 4th complete game, Marlins top Dodgers 2-1
MIAMI (AP) — Sandy Alcántara bounced back from his shortest outing of the season by throwing a complete-game six-hitter as the Miami Marlins beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Saturday night.
After allowing a season-high six runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on Aug. 21, Alcántara (12-6) limited the NL-West leaders to Mookie Betts’ solo home run. The All-Star right-hander struck out 10 and walked two for his fourth complete game.
Los Angeles threatened in the ninth with one-out singles by Freddie Freeman and Will Smith. Justin Turner walked with two out before Alcántara retired Joey Gallo on a grounder to first.
“I’m just thankful for another opportunity,” Alcántara said. “They beat me (in Los Angeles) so I just wanted to come out and compete.”
The matchup between Alcántara and the 87-win Dodgers attracted 23,543, the Marlins’ third-largest home crowd this season. The noise intensified in the ninth while Alcántara weathered the Dodgers’ threat.
“I wish they were here every day, not just one day,” Alcántara said. “We’re obviously very happy when they are on our side. When we see those fans, we feel we have support.”
Jerar Encarnación hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth that put Miami ahead. Joey Wendle and Jon Berti reached on two-out infield singles against Dodgers starter Dustin May (1-1), and Encarnación followed with a grounder to left field that scored Wendle.
Encarnación entered in the fourth after Brian Anderson’s ejection.
“I was given the opportunity and tried to do my best with those runners on base,” Encarnación said. “Thank goodness it came out well.”
Berti and Wendle each had two hits for Miami.
“To see people here is really cool, and as the game went on, it seemed like it kept coming,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It does make you think that when you get crowds like that what that energy does for teams.”
Betts gave the Dodgers an early lead with his solo shot in the third. The former MVP drove Alcántara’s slider over the wall in left-center for his third homer of the series.
“Tonight we ran into a buzzsaw in Alcántara and we still were one hit away from winning the game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
The Marlins tied it on Brian Anderson’s RBI single in the fourth. Anderson hit a liner to left-center and successfully beat Gallo’s throw to second. But Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor kept the tag as Anderson’s foot slid off the bag, prompting second base umpire D.J. Reyburn to call Anderson out. Anderson argued the reversal and Reyburn ejected him.
“I was pushed off the bag (by Taylor),” Anderson said. “I guess the umpire didn’t think so, and I told him to use his eyes. He ejected me. It was a charged atmosphere. I have to do a better job checking my emotions.”
May’s outing ended after six innings. In his second start since returning from a 14-month absence because of elbow surgery, May gave up two runs, five hits, walked one, struck out four and hit a batter.
LATE CHANGE
The Dodgers’ Justin Turner and Max Muncy were in the original lineup but switched positions. Turner moved from third base to designated hitter, while Muncy took Turner’s infield spot after first listed as DH.
ROSTER MOVE
The Marlins selected the contract of LHP Jake Fishman from Triple-A Jacksonville and optioned RHP Bryan Hoeing to the same minor league club.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (lower back soreness) increased his pitch count in a simulated game Saturday and continues to progress toward a possible return within the next week. … INF-OF Gavin Lux (neck issues) fielded groundballs and hit from the cage, but missed his fourth straight game.
Marlins: If the results from his recent minor league rehab outing are an indication, LHP Trevor Rogers (low back spasms) could be activated soon. Rogers struck out 12 in six hitless and scoreless innings at Jacksonville on Thursday.
UP NEXT
LHP Julio Urías (13-7, 2.36) will start the third game of the series for the Dodgers on Sunday against Miami RHP Edward Cabrera (4-1, 1.41).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
