Walks, missed chances come back to haunt Marlins in series-opening loss to Padres

Jordan McPherson
·2 min read

The Miami Marlins have preached pitching in the strike zone and limiting walks.

Well, a slew of free passes came back to haunt them in their 9-4 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday to begin a three-game series and a nine-game homestand at loanDepot park.

Overall, the Marlins (28-27) walked eight batters, six of whom came around to score.

The Padres (25-29) broke open a tie game with a five-run ninth inning. The decisive frame started with Dylan Floro walking Fernando Tatis Jr. on six pitches. Tatis then stole second base and got to third on a throwing error from catcher Nick Fortes before the Marlins intentionally walked Juan Soto after Floro fell behind in the count 3-1.

Xander Boegarts then had the Padres’ go-ahead hit, a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield to score Tatis.

What followed after that:

▪ Rougned Odor reached on a fielder’s choice, with shortstop Jon Berti attempting to get Soto out at home. His throw was off the mark. Soto scores. 6-4 Padres.

▪ Matt Carpenter then hit a first-pitch changeup to right for a two-run double. 8-4 Padres. Floro’s night ends without recording an out. Bryan Hoeing enters.

▪ After Austin Nola grounded out to Hoeing, Trent Grisham hit a single and stole second base before Ha-Seong Kim’s sacrifice fly scored pinch-runner Brandon Dixon to cap the five-run inning.

All of that came after starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara allowed four runs over 6 1/3 innings on five hits and five walks while striking out three. All four runs he allowed came to batters he walked.

It was, statistically speaking, Alcantara’s worst outing against the Padres in his career. Over three previous starts against San Diego, Alcantara had allowed just three total runs (two earned runs) while striking out 19 and walking six over 18 2/3 innings.

Bryan De La Cruz factored into all four of the Marlins’ runs scored. He went 3 for 4 with a walk, scoring on a Garrett Cooper single in the third, hitting a two-run home run in the fourth and hitting an RBI single in the sixth.

But the offense as a whole missed on a slew of opportunities. They hit into three double plays, went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners.

The Marlins have hit into an MLB leading 59 double plays this season.