WASHINGTON — Sandy Alcantara made his fifth complete game, leading the majors this season, throwing seven-hit ball in the Miami Marlins’ 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
The Marlins thus avoided the sweep in the series. Alcantara (13-8) struck out seven and walked one during his 104-pitch effort. His ERA of 2.37 is the second best in the National League, below that of the Mexican Julio Urías, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with 2.27.
The Dominican Alcántara leads the majors with 212 innings and two thirds. He is 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in four starts against Washington this season.
Alcantara, who won his first of four starts in September, has pitched 17% of 29 complete games this season in the major leagues. His compatriot Framber Valdez, from Houston, has three, while Aaron Nola, from Philadelphia, has two.
Those two pitchers are the only others who have managed more than one complete game. Garrett Cooper homered in the sixth inning for Miami, which had lost seven of nine games. For the Marlins, the Venezuelan Miguel Rojas 2-0.
Dominicans Bryan de la Cruz 3-2 with two RBIs, Lewin Díaz 4-0. For the Nationals, Venezuelans César Hernández 4-1, Ildemaro Vargas 4-0, Israel Pineda 3-0. The Mexican Joey Meneses 4-0, the Dominican Victor Robles 3-1.
