MIAMI _ The opening-week gem delivered by Sandy Alcantara is a distant memory by now. Those eight shutout innings were almost exactly a month in the past when the starting pitcher took the mound Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians and now the clunkers come just as frequently as the sparkling outings the Miami Marlins hoped for from their 23-year-old starter.
The Indians jumped on Alcantara early Tuesday at Marlins Park and, aided by multiple Miami errors, piled up six runs against the right-handed pitcher in the first three innings. For the third time in six starts this season, Alcantara gave up at least four earned runs and this time it wasted a strong offensive effort for the Marlins, who dropped the series-opener, 7-4, in Miami.
Errors aided Cleveland in both the second and third innings, but the Indians still tagged Alcantara for four earned runs in his 5 1/3 innings. After the Marlins (8-21) jumped ahead 1-0, Cleveland (16-12) hit back with a solo home run by corner infielder Carlos Santana and an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gonzalez to take a 2-1 lead. When Miami scored two of its own in the second to go back ahead 3-2, the Indians charged back in front with an RBI single by Santana and a three-run homer by Gonzalez to take a 6-3 lead.
Alcantara (1-3) lasted only two batters into the sixth, giving up seven hits and three walks, and striking out just one batter _ starting pitcher Trevor Bauer. Even though they scored four against Bauer (4-1) in his seven innings, the Marlins missed a chance to win the opener of a quick two-game interleague set in front of 7,247. A solo homer by outfielder Curtis Granderson was all Miami managed after falling behind 6-3 as two Cleveland relief pitchers combined for two shutout innings and Brad Hand shut the door for his ninth save of the season.
