An impressive, lengthy performance from the arm of Sandy Alcantara wasn't enough to secure a victory, as the Marlins fell in the series finale against the Cardinals, 1-0, on Wednesday. The Cardinals secured the sweep and notched their second straight walk-off victory, this time on an RBI single from Yadier Molina.

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“Just trying to throw him my best pitch. Trying to get a ground ball. He made an adjustment to hit the ball down the third-base line, they scored and I lost the game,” said Alcantara. “If you think I'm mad or frustrated, I'm not. I just gotta keep doing my job. Just got to keep competing and helping the team.”

Alcantara has been a reliable arm in the Marlins’ rotation, and over his last nine starts has thrown at least six innings in eight of them. Alcantara took the mound and, after allowing a leadoff single to Dylan Carlson in the first, responded by retiring the next four batters.

Coming into this game, Alcantara has been rolling, winning his last two matchups including a 4-3 victory over the Braves on June 11, when he tossed six innings of two-run ball and struck out six. In Wednesday’s start against the Cardinals, Alcantara took the mound for a team-leading 15th start of the season and once again attacked the strike zone to hold St. Louis scoreless through eight.

“I met [Alcantara] in 2016, my first time with the team. He was with us and I used to spend a lot of time with him,” said Cardinals starter Johan Oviedo. “It was really cool to face him today in the big leagues and both have really good games.”

Unfortunately, Miami, like the Cardinals, struggled from the plate. In this pitchers’ duel, Oviedo tossed an impressive game for St. Louis, holding the Marlins scoreless through seven innings while allowing six hits and striking out four.

In the top of the ninth, Miami sent Lewin Díaz, Lewis Brinson, and Magneuris Sierra to the plate. Although Wednesday was used as an off-day for some of their stars, the Marlins did have Starling Marte, Jesús Aguilar and Adam Duvall available off the bench.

“It was a shot to see what our young guys could do,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly. “We had a couple of chances, but we didn't do anything with them. You got those guys in the lineup, you’re gonna give them a shot.”

At the start of the seventh inning, Alcantara only had 76 pitches, and he steamrolled through the Cardinals' lineup for the third time to reach eight innings pitched for the third time this season. Alcantara finished allowing six hits, one unearned run and one walk while striking out seven. Alcantara’s complete-game loss was the first for the Marlins since Ricky Nolasco in 2012, when he pitched eight innings in a 5-3 loss against the Rockies. Alcantara is the second pitcher this season to throw a complete game in a loss -- the first was the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright on April 26 in a 2-1 loss against the Phillies.

“Inning by inning, my mind was positive,” said Alcantara. “I knew I was going back out in the ninth inning, and when I went back out I went with the same mentality, attacking the hitting. They made a quick adjustment, and they scored.”

Throughout the matchup, the Marlins were searching for offense but struggled to put together quality at-bats and take advantage of runners on base. Miami stranded seven runners in Wednesday’s contest and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. In the loss, Jon Berti had an impressive day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two singles and one walk.

“In general, we haven't put runs up. But everything hasn't been together,” said Mattingly. “We just haven't really played well enough on our own to win, but we have given ourselves a chance to close out games.”

Despite the struggles the Marlins have faced this season, the trio of Alcantara, Trevor Rogers, and Pablo López have combined for a 2.80 ERA and have only allowed more than three earned runs six times combined. After two straight walk-off losses to the Cardinals, the Marlins have now lost 26 games by two runs or fewer.