Miami Marlins top New York Yankees in Spring Action

The Marlins defeated the New York Yankees by a 3-1 final score on Wednesday afternoon in spring training action.

Now at 12-5-2, the Miami Marlins trail only the 13-5 Philadelphia Phillies in the Grapefruit League. Twelve more games remain on the schedule until three off days at the completion of camp. The aforementioned Phillies will help the Marlins kick off the season in earnest on March 26.

Garrett Cooper started things off for the Miami Marlins in the second inning with a double, and Matt Kemp reached first on a fielders choice without erasing the big first baseman. Eddy Alvarez followed with a successful sacrifice bunt, moving both runners over. After a Harold Ramirez pop out, Sean Rodriguez brought both runners home with a single into left field.

The score remained 2-0 in favor of the Miami Marlins until the top half of the fourth inning, when Miguel Andujar got the Yanks on the board with an RBI-double. The Marlins would answer in kind in the bottom half of the frame.

Cooper singled to lead off that half of the inning, then stole second on a Kemp strikeout. Alvarez knocked Cooper in on a ground-rule double to make it 3-1 in favor of the good guys. The score would remain through the following five innings of play with 6,606 in attendance at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Here’s three points.

Sandy Alcantara was Mostly Good

Sandy Alcantara started and was credited with his first victory of the spring, bringing his record to 1-1. Aside from getting roughed up a bit in the fourth, he only surrendered one run in five innings of work, striking out four and allowing three hits and a pair of walks.

Alcantara had struggled in his three previous starts, allowing nine earned runs in only seven innings. Hopefully, this contest signifies that he’s getting into the groove of regular season play.

Miami Marlins Bullpen Still Impressive

The Marlins bullpen followed Alcantara with a quartet of scoreless innings by as many pitchers. Brandon Kintzler pitched a nearly-perfect sixth, hitting Tommy Milone with a pitch. Stephen Tarpley pitched a perfect seventh, getting seven-of-nine offerings over the plate. Aaron Northcraft gave up a single in an otherwise short and sweet eighth, on only seven pitches. Alex Vesia continued his impressive string of scoreless play, with a perfect ninth, including a swinging strikeout of Kyle Holder to end the game.

The Marlins bullpen has been so good, you have to think that Don Mattingly and company are going to have a harder-than-normal time making their final cuts over the next two weeks. Vesia continues to state his case for a shot at the opening day roster, and really, this guy looks like the real deal.

Marlins Efficient Use of Small Ball

The Marlins scored three runs despite only collecting four hits and a walk in the entire game. Even Cooper, who has never stolen or even attempted to steal a base through the regular season, swiped second. True, it was a failed hit-and-run play, but it counts. It does!

Cooper was the only Marlins player to finish with a multi-hit game, going two-for-three to bring his spring average up to .276.

Other Minor Notes

Fox Sports Florida broadcast this game, and had second baseman Isan Diaz miked up for the first three innings. It was truly an entertaining experience to hear the guy talking while he fielded live balls batted into play and took live pitches at the dish. Diaz was 0-for-3, but hearing him miked up only made me like him better.

Over from the minor league camp, catcher Santiago Chavez, second baseman Demetrius Sims, pinch hitter Riley Mahan and shortstop Joe Dunand all got into the game. They went a combined 0-for-three with two strikeouts, but it was the exposure that really mattered here.

Tomorrow, the Marlins will get back after it in a 1:05 PM ET first pitch in a “road” game against the St. Louis Cardinals, at their shared spring home in Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.