Anderson keeps Marlins' bats ablaze with slam

June 6th, 2019

MILWAUKEE -- Home runs have been scarce most of the season for the Marlins, but they’ve become a huge weapon during their nearly three-week hot stretch.

is the latest to do big damage with one swing, blistering his first career grand slam, which helped propel the Marlins to an 8-3 win over the Brewers on Wednesday night at Miller Park.

The grand slam off Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson was Anderson’s second home run in as many days, and he now has seven on the season. Statcast projected that Anderson's slam traveled 446 feet and had an exit velocity of 111.1 mph. It was Anderson's second hit of the game after he doubled in the first inning.

“As a group, we did a really good job of taking advantage of mistakes,” Anderson said. “Laying off of his pitches, and getting those mistakes and driving the ball.”

Miami has won four straight games and back-to-back series on its road trip, which started last Friday at San Diego. The Marlins have scored at least eight runs in four consecutive games, tying a franchise record first set on Sept. 2-5, 2009.

“Obviously, the grand slam gives you a little cushion, and we're able to just tack on a few and make it an easier game for us,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

In the first two games of their series in Milwaukee, the Marlins have outscored the Brewers, 24-3.

The Marlins are last in the Majors with 47 home runs, but they’ve hit four in the first two games of the series. Since May 17, Miami is 13-5 and has hit 23 home runs. They’ve outscored their opponents, 108-65, and outhomered them, 23-18. In that span, Anderson is hitting .305 with five home runs, six doubles and 17 RBIs.

“We've got guys who can hit the ball out of the park,” Anderson said. “Maybe not 50, 60 home run guys, but we have guys who can do some damage. It seems like, if the balls are not going over the wall, they're being hit hard right. That's a good sign for us.”

Curtis Granderson had two hits and scored twice, while Bryan Holaday delivered a two-run single.

“Things have kind of been going our way right now,” Mattingly said. “A lot of good stuff going on.”

But it was the long ball that gave the Marlins' pitching staff some breathing room. Right-hander Sandy Alcantara stayed hot by throwing seven solid innings, allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts.

Alcantara made the run support stand, getting a big boost in the first inning when right fielder Harold Ramirez robbed Lorenzo Cain of a home run. Alcantara was on the attack throughout the night, throwing 95 pitches with 60 strikes. In his last four starts, Alcantara has a 1.73 ERA.

“Every time we're out there, we're competing,” Alcantara said. “It doesn't matter which team we're facing. We know that team is like a superstar team. We tried to win the game, and we're trying to win the series.”