MIAMI – When Sandy Alcantara skipped his previous start, the official line was that Miami wanted to line him up against the Mets. A more neutral fan might call it what it was — a way to save money, protect Alcantara’s arm, and milk the last weekend of home stand revenue. With WBC-themed promotions, fireworks, and a packed Miami crowd, the business case was just as strong as the baseball one.
Whatever the motive, it worked. Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner, pitched into the eighth inning Friday night. He steadied himself after Francisco Lindor’s leadoff homer and Pete Alonso’s RBI double in the first, retiring 10 straight at one point, and gave Miami time to flip the game.
The turning point came in the bottom of the fifth. Griffin Conine singled, Troy Johnston followed with another knock, and Heriberto Hernández tied it with a two-run triple into the right-field corner. Graham Pauley’s groundout and Jakob Marsee’s RBI grounder pushed the Marlins in front.
Then came the backbreaker: Agustín Ramírez singled, swiped second and third base, and scored on Xavier Edwards’ RBI single. Connor Norby capped the six-run frame with a pinch-hit, two-run homer off Gregory Soto. A 2-0 Mets lead had completely unraveled into a 6-2 deficit.
The night even had a shift in atmosphere. Lindor’s 31st blast — his 11th leadoff home run of the year — made it sound like an away game in Miami, Mets fans celebrating early. But by the sixth, it was the Marlins’ fans and players who wanted it more, urging on every hit, every steal, every tag.
The game looked a lot like the Mets’ season. There were flashes of sharp execution, like Juan Soto’s pair of early steals and the clean tag that overturned a caught stealing call. But when the Marlins got their chance, they executed better — running the bases aggressively, putting the ball in play, and cashing in on mistakes.
Miami’s bullpen barely broke a sweat. Cade Gibson got two quick outs in the eighth before Tyler Phillips secured a four-out save. The relievers combined for only 35 pitches across the final two innings, and they’ll enter Saturday with fresh arms and, realistically, an offseason of rest already waiting.
Now the focus shifts to Saturday, a game that could swing the entire National League playoff bracket. The Mets and Reds enter tied at 82–78, but Cincinnati owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. That means if the Reds win and the Mets lose, New York’s postseason hopes vanish.
In the American League, Cleveland, Detroit, and Houston are still fighting for the final playoff berth. With just two games left in the regular season, every pitch matters across both leagues, and Saturday at loanDepot park will be box-score watching at its finest.
Photo: Miami Marlins celebrate the defeat of the New York Mets. Game 161. loanDepot Park. Photo by World Baseball Network | WorldBaseball.com
