Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara Incredible Two-Game Run Ends in Two Batters

The Miami Marlins should feel great about not trading Sandy Alcantara this offseason. But he was a hard-luck loser on Tuesday.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara. | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Remember when the Miami Marlins were taking trade offers for Sandy Alcantara? Well, the Marlins should be done with that.

One start after he threw a complete-game shutout, he nearly did something that no starting pitcher had done in 11 years, pear MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola. But it meant little as Miami lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 6-3, in 10 innings.

Alcantara went 8.1 innings and was two outs away from becoming the first pitcher in 11 years to throw back-to-back shutouts. He mystified the Reds for eight innings as Miami built a 2-0 lead and was on the verge of claiming a win. He even retired TJ Friedl for the first out of the ninth.

And then it all fell apart.

Sandy Alcantara’s Incredible Run Ends

Sandy Alcantara fell two outs shy of becoming the first Major Leaguer to recorded consecutive shutouts in 11 years.

8 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
95 pitches (67 strikes)
Max velo: 99.5 mph#Marlins pic.twitter.com/otTSwM8YDG

— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) April 8, 2026

Alcantara gave up a double to Matt McLain, which was the third hit he allowed in the game. Then he walked Elly De La Cruz. After throwing 95 pitches, manager Clayton McCullough, pulled him and brought in Anthony Bender from the bullpen. Alcantara was in line for the win and was responsible for both runners.

Bender couldn’t get them off the basepaths. McLain and De La Cruz each stole a base, which was fortuitous because Sal Stewart hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder Griffin Conine, which scored McLain and moved De La Cruz to third.

Bender could have gotten out of the jam. He walked Eugenio Suarez and still had a chance to save the win for Alcantara, but his wild pitch scored De La Cruz to tie the game. He then retired Spencer Steer on strikes, but only after an ABS challenge upheld strike three.

Miami couldn’t break the tie in the 10th and the Reds won in the bottom half of the frame after Nathaniel Lowe’s RBI single.

That ended Alcantara’s impressive two-game run. In his start last week, he threw a “Maddux.” That’s a complete game shutout in under 100 pitches, named for Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. For eight innings he was on his way to throwing a second straight shutout, something that is rare in this day of managing workload.

The right-hander finished with three hits allowed, with two runs and two walks against six strikeouts. He exited the game with a 0.76 ERA, even with the two runs allowed.

Assuming that Alcantara pitches on normal rest, his next start will be on Sunday at Detroit against the Tigers, part of a six-game road trip that continues in Atlanta.