Marlins edge Rockies as Sandy Alcantara shines in opener

Sandy Alcantara pitched seven strong innings, and Javier Sanoja went 3-for-3 with one RBI as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Friday in the season opener for both teams.

Closer Pete Fairbanks, Miami's biggest free-agent signee of the offseason, earned the save after pitching a scoreless ninth.

Alcantara, the National League's Cy Young Award winner in 2022, allowed four hits, two walks and one unearned run while striking out five. Alcantara missed the entire 2024 season following elbow surgery but appears to be back in form. Last year, he started slow but posted a 3.33 ERA over his final 13 starts.

Sanjoa, a utility player who is used all over the field, got a surprise start at third base, where he made an error. But he made up for it with his bat.

Colorado's Kyle Freeland took the loss, pitching 4 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits, two walks and two runs before being pulled at 81 pitches.

The Marlins were without All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers, who suffered a hamstring injury in camp.

However, Marlins rookie outfielder Owen Caissie, starting at DH and batting eighth, sliced an opposite-field, RBI double to left in his first Marlins plate appearance. Caissie was one of three prospects the Marlins acquired when they traded pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Cubs in January.

Miami opened the scoring in the second inning as Xavier Edwards singled and scored on Caissie's double. Sanoja followed with a run-scoring single to left.

In the third, Miami's Jakob Marsee doubled and stole third with one out, but the Marlins couldn't get him home.

In the fourth, Jake McCarthy reached base for Colorado on a bunt single, stole second, and tried to score on Hunter Goodman's single. However, right fielder Austin Slater threw out McCarthy at the plate.

The Marlins should've escaped that fourth with no damage, but a two-out fielding error by Sanoja opened the door for Jordan Beck's RBI infield single to the hole at shortstop.

Miami went to its bullpen in the eighth, and Colorado immediately threatened, putting runners on the corners with two outs. However, Anthony Bender, Miami's second reliever in the frame, struck out Willi Castro swinging on a 3-2 sweeper out of the zone.

--Field Level Media