Sandy Alcantara's gem and a Jesús Sánchez homer led the Marlins to a 3-2 win over the Padres on July 24, 2025, clinching the series. Recap the key moments.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
That's the winning formula, folks. When Sandy Alcantara takes the mound and deals like an ace, good things happen. Backed by a timely blast from Jesús Sánchez, the Miami Marlins edged out the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Wednesday, locking down their second consecutive series win and injecting a healthy dose of optimism into loanDepot Park.
It was vintage Sandy: 7 innings, 1 run, 4 strikeouts, and zero walks. That's the kind of performance that wins ballgames.
The game was a classic nail-biter. Miami struck first in the 1st inning when Augustín Ramírez singled to drive in Xavier Edwards. But the real story was Sandy Alcantara, who was simply masterful. He carved through the Padres lineup for seven innings, allowing just one run on a Manny Machado single. The game's pivotal moment came in the 5th when Jesús Sánchez launched a 377-foot, two-run homer—his 9th of the year—to give Miami a 3-1 lead. The bullpen had to work for it, with Calvin Faucher earning a gutsy 1.2-inning save, but they ultimately sealed the 3-2 victory.
Let's talk about those key performances. Sandy Alcantara's outing was a masterclass in efficiency, marking his 12th quality start of the season and reminding everyone why he's the anchor of this staff. Meanwhile, Jesús Sánchez is providing a much-needed power surge. His ninth home run now places him second on the team, and as the team's social media highlighted with 'Big-time blast from Jesús!', his clutch hitting is creating a real buzz.
After the excitement of the win, Thursday was a quiet day on the transaction front. There were no new trades, signings, or injury updates, giving the team a moment to breathe. The most recent roster move remains the July 22 recall of infielder Jack Winkler to provide some depth. While the roster is stable for now, the team is still navigating injuries to key pitchers like Ryan Weathers and Edward Cabrera, making dominant starts from Alcantara all the more crucial.
With two straight series wins under their belt and a record of 48-53, the Marlins are showing signs of life. They'll enjoy a well-deserved day off on Thursday before kicking off a critical weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Can they carry this momentum forward and make a real push in the NL East standings? This weekend will be a major test.
