Brewers' five-run fifth inning, sparked by Turang's homer, overwhelmed Miami ace Alcantara. Marlins falter despite early lead in Saturday's loss.
MIAMI — The long ball got to Sandy Alcantara again.
A two-out home run by Brice Turang in the fifth highlighted a five-run barrage as the Milwaukee Brewers won 5-2 over the Miami Marlins on Saturday at loanDepot Park.
"Just uncharacteristically struggling with the strike zone today," said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said during his postgame press conference. "He really battled and grinded."
Alcantara lasted five innings, his shortest out of the season, allowing three earned runs on five hits, six walks, and one strikeout.
“Just mad about the walks,” Alcantara said.
The Marlins (9-12) struck first in the second inning on an RBI single by Connor Norby. Liam Hicks led off the inning with a single before scoring. Hicks and Norby each went 2-for-4 to lead the Marlins in hitting.
Prior to going hitless on Friday, Norby had a team-leading eight-game hitting streak in which he had scored a run in three straight games while slashing .393/.455/.714 (11-for-28) with four runs, three doubles, two home runs, five RBI, and three walks. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Brewers (11-8) tied the game in the fourth inning after a single by Brandon Lockridge scored Luis Rengifo, who had reached on a walk. The Brewers struck again in the fifth with Wilson Contreras reaching on a double before scoring on Turang’s homer, taking a 3-1 lead.
Garrett Mitchell drew a walk to lead off the sixth inning for the Brewers. He stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sal Frelick grounded to a fielder’s choice and Mitchell was initially tagged out at home. However, an appeal overturned the call and led to the Brewers’ fourth run.
Turang struck again in the sixth inning with a single off Anthony Bender, scoring Joey Ortiz, who reached on a walk. Turang went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and two walks to lead the Brewers at the plate.
Bender loaded the bases by hitting Brewers designated hitter Gary Sanchez, before Lake Bacher came in to get the Marlins out of a jam with a lineout to left field. Bender allowed two runs on one hit and two walks in the sixth inning while Bender went 2.1 hitless innings. John King pitched the ninth inning without giving up a hit.
The Marlins showed some fight in the ninth with three straight singles to load the bases. Heriberto Hernandez grounded out, but it led to Otto Lopez scoring. A groundout ended the rally.
Brandon Woodruff pitched like an ace for the Brewers, going seven innings with one earned run allowed on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts to lower his ERA to 3.42 on the season.
Alcantara started the season with 24 straight scoreless innings. Since entering the ninth inning of his third start, the Marlins ace has given up 12 runs to balloon his ERA to. 3.02 on the season. Just as three great starts doesn’t make a Cy Young campaign, two rough starts doesn’t lead to a one-way trip to Jacksonville.
“Nobody’s perfect,” Alcantara said. “It’s not like two bad outings decide your season so I just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing, keep trusting my stuff, just be out there fighting to win the game like always.”
The Marlins will try to salvage the series on Sunday afternoon. Eury Pérez (1-1, 5.40 ERA) will get the start for Miami against the Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski (1-1, 3.32 ERA).
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