MIAMI – For the first time this season – and in his career – the Marlins did brian de la cruz Leadoff hitter in the lineup.
We can say without fear of being wrong that the Dominicans will repeat in that situation.
De la Cruz went 3-for-4 with a home run, but it was not enough as the Padres mounted a late attack to trail the Marlins. 9-4, in Tuesday night’s series opener at LoanDepo Park. De la Cruz drove in three of Miami’s four runs and scored the last fourth.
The Dominican player singled in his third run of the game in the sixth inning to give Miami a 4–2 lead. But then San Diego tied the score in the seventh inning before scoring five runs in the ninth. Miami provided a total of eight walks on Tuesday night, including five for club ace Sandy Alcantara, who went no-decision. The four batters walked by Alcantara scored.
Foreman Skip Shoemaker said, “Runs were scored on each ticket to start the inning.” “We have to fix some things with regard to stolen bases. These are self-inflicted wounds. … That was tough. We got a chance to build on our lead. We had a lot of players on base and the right guys to bat. were and we could not move forward.”
De la Cruz has been Miami’s best hitter this month, hitting .347 (33-for-95), including a career-high 14-game hitting streak that ended Wednesday at Colorado, and two with four hits. game. On Tuesday, de la Cruz had three hits in a game for the eighth time this year. In that sense, he is surpassed only by Bo Bechette, who has nine games with three hits.
But de la Cruz’s big day could not help Alcantara earn his third win of the season, as the NL Cy Young Award winner left the game with one out in the seventh inning. The man from Quisqueyan gave up four runs, five hits, three strikeouts, and five walks. making 93 pitches (57 for strikes) in those 6.1 innings.
Miami helped San Diego respond, as Shumaker indicated, with three errors and the Fishes hitting three double plays to end one inning did not help their cause. The Marlins left 11 running backs in turnovers and went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Shoemaker said, “We had runners on base all night.” “But de la Cruz had an outstanding game. He was in the lineup because his hitting looked great and we wished he would have batted more than when he was fifth in the order.”
De La Cruz lit up the scoreboard after scoring on Garrett Cooper’s single in the third inning. The Dominican then drove in a run in the fourth, his seventh homer of the season and fifth this month, then in the sixth with an infield single.
De la Cruz said he was happy for the confidence boost from hitting leadoff, and the youngster hopes the Marlins can put the damage behind him and turn the page.
De la Cruz said, “It was my first game as a leadoff hitter, and I thank Skip for that.” “I’m here to help my team in any way I can. If I can help the team in this situation, I’m ready.”
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