Marlins show fight in blowout loss to Braves

It’s usually a long night when your ace starts the game by allowing a leadoff single before the crowd fully settles into their seats.

That’s exactly how things started Thursday night for the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park when pitcher Sandy Alcantara stepped to the mound.

Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the game with a single. A few pitches later, Michael Harris II launched a 418-foot two-run homer into center field, immediately giving Atlanta a 2-0 lead and reminding everybody exactly why the Atlanta Braves continue operating like one of baseball’s heavyweight lineups.

After that message was delivered, the Braves piled on.

Mike Yastrzemski got the memo of what Atlanta was trying to do because he too joined Harris in the home run club for the night. Yastrzemski sent Atlanta’s second home run traveling 398 feet for another run. Just that quickly, the Marlins were in survival mode before the game even fully settled.

Even against Atlanta’s starting pitcher, Spencer Strider throwing upper-90s fastballs that had hitters looking late all night, the Marlins kept finding moments to respond. At one point, Marlins first baseman Christopher Morel swung so hard that the bat flew out of his hands and into the air like it wanted no part of the at-bat either.

It was reminiscent of those old Marlins nights where they would fold after the going got tough. When the opponent would throw a few early punches and the offense quietly disappeared before the seventh inning.

Except this version of Miami does not feel completely lifeless offensively anymore in a 9-3 loss.

The team might not be complete, but they looked alive because then suddenly, Miami punched back.

In the third inning, the fighting fish kept swinging as Owen Caissie launched a 403-foot home run to right-center field that briefly injected life back into the stadium. A few innings later, Kyle Stowers followed with another blast to right field as the Marlins once again chipped into Atlanta’s lead.

Then in the seventh inning, Stowers struck gold again.

The Marlins outfielder launched his second home run of the night, this time a 382-foot shot to right-center field that once again trimmed Atlanta’s lead and gave Miami another offensive spark late in the game.

Stowers said recently his focus has been staying in the zone longer and trusting his timing instead of trying to force results.

“Timing is such a big thing,” Stowers said. “Something that I think has been a little inconsistent for me when things aren’t really going.”

The hits were not coming consistently. Miami did not spend the night flooding the bases with traffic, but when the Marlins connected, they connected loudly.

WBecause while the Braves still looked like the superior team for most of the night, Miami no longer folds instantly when adversity arrives. The problem is Atlanta kept answering back.

After those home runs from Stowers and Caissie, it looked like a little glimmer of hope remained.

That’s when Atlanta answered again. Acuña singled to center that brought in two runs. Then Yastrzemski doubled in Dominic Smith for another.

Meanwhile, Yastrzemski decided to add in another run later in the inning with his double that brought home Dominic Smith.

Even after Stowers went yard again, Atlanta basically responded with, “watch this.”

Additionally, Mauricio Dubón singled to center for two runs in the eighth. The Braves could breathe easy again.

Then in the ninth inning, Michael Harris II connected on another home run as Atlanta continued creating separation every time Miami started building momentum again.

All of this was a stark reminder to Miami to know exactly who they were dealing with.

“The Braves being on top of the division, winning a lot of games because they’ve been very aggressive,” Sandy Alcantara said after the game. “Trying to score a lot of runs against anyone.”

The Braves punish mistakes immediately. And the Marlins are still trying to figure out how to survive those stretches consistently.

Miami manager Clayton McCullough said Alcantara flooded the strike zone early but paid for a couple mistakes that stayed elevated.

“He flooded the zone early,” McCullough said. “A couple homers on changeups that he left up to Harris and Yastrzemski.”

Still, McCullough pointed toward Alcantara battling through six innings despite the difficult start.

“He still finds a way to get through six,” McCullough said. “I know he’s frustrated with how the line ended up.”

However, in the midst of adversity Stowers remains confident in the Marlins and how they’ll break through.

“We think we’re a lot better than we’ve been showing,” Stowers said.