Sandy Alcantara secured his first career major league save on Wednesday night, closing out a thrilling 4-3 victory for the Miami Marlins against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Unbelievable scene in Phoenix! Just two days after throwing 101 pitches in a grueling starter's effort on Monday, Miami Marlins ace and 2022 National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara walked down to the bullpen and volunteered his arm to save a depleted pitching staff. With the Marlins fighting to keep their faint postseason hopes alive, manager Clayton McCullough handed his elite starter the ball for the ninth inning.
Alcantara, who currently leads the majors with 206 innings pitched this season, induced two quick flyouts before encountering some drama after walking Lars Nootbaar with two outs. Arizona sent in lightning-fast pinch-runner Jordan Lawlar to represent the tying run, setting up a cardiac finish. Lawlar took off for second base on a steal attempt, but Marlins catcher Joe Mack came up firing, delivering a perfect strike to throw Lawlar out and end the game in spectacular fashion.
The heroic throw by Joe Mack marked his 24th caught stealing of the 2026 season, cementing his reputation as a defensive force behind the plate. It also put the exclamation point on a legendary moment for Alcantara, marking his first MLB save in a nine-year career that has consisted of 201 major league starts. Prior to this outing, Alcantara hadn’t pitched out of the bullpen since his rookie season with the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2017.
Following the emotional win, Alcantara expressed his readiness to do whatever it takes to help the Marlins win down the stretch, while McCullough praised the ace's sheer competitive drive and leadership. The victory brings the Marlins to a 76-77 record as they continue to scratch and claw through the final stretch of the regular season. Alcantara is still scheduled to make his regular start this coming Sunday against the San Diego Padres.
