Miami Marlins at Houston Astros

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
MIA	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	1
HOU	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3	—	5	9	0

Sandy Alcantara (10-5, 3.95 ERA) got the ball for Miami trying to snap a brutal stretch, going up against Peter Lambert (8-5, 3.03), who came in fresh off a 10-strikeout gem against Baltimore. First pitch was 7:10 PM CT at Daikin Park, and on paper it was as even a pitching matchup as this series had. Alcantara had racked up 7 strikeouts in each of his last two starts, while Lambert has quietly turned into one of Houston's more reliable arms.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Marlins(52-50)

LLLLL

2

+1.5-203+102o8.5+113

Astros(49-54)

WWLLL

5

-1.5+199-104u8.5-111

Best BetMarlins -101

Postgame

Miami's price value never converted, as Houston's pitching and a late rally closed it out 5-2.

Pregame

We took Miami at +104 on the moneyline pregame, and sharp money agreed, stacking onto the Marlins even as Houston's price tightened. Alcantara had given Miami length and strikeouts in back-to-back outings, making this look like a true coin-flip price between two flawed teams. Houston's pitching and that late-inning burst were enough to get it done, but the number reflected just how close this matchup really was.

Both lineups are dealing with real absences. Houston is playing the season out without Carlos Correa, who underwent ankle surgery and is done for the year, and both Jeremy Peña and Christian Walker have been in and out of the lineup with soft-tissue issues. Miami's bullpen is even thinner — John King, Josh Ekness, Anthony Bender, William Kempner and Andrew Nardi are all shelved, and Max Meyer just went down with a neck strain. None of that stopped sharp money from stacking onto the Marlins pregame, with over $6,000 of the loudest tickets landing on Miami.

Sandy Alcantara

(12-6)·3.68 ERA

Jul 17 @ Brewers

ND

6.0IP

1ER

7K

4BB

104P

07/22 Lineup

Peter Lambert

(8-5)·3.06 ERA

Jul 17 vs Orioles

ND

6.0IP

1ER

10K

3BB

104P

07/22 Lineup

It didn't matter. Houston scratched across single runs in the 2nd and 3rd, then blew it open with a 3-run 8th, while Miami's only offense came on a 2-run 4th off Alcantara's own line. Nine hits was enough for Houston; seven wasn't enough for Miami.

This one extends what's turned into one of the ugliest stretches in recent Marlins history. Two weeks ago the front office was reportedly planning to add pieces and keep Alcantara through the trade deadline. Now, with the losing streak threatening to erase a wild card cushion Miami had built up, both Alcantara and batting leader Luis Arraez are being floated as trade chips instead.

Miami Marlins

(52-50)

Jul 22L@ Astros3-5

Jul 21L@ Astros5-8

Jul 19L@ Brewers1-3

Jul 18L@ Brewers6-8

Jul 17L@ Brewers1-2

Houston Astros

(49-54)

Jul 22Wvs Marlins5-3

Jul 21Wvs Marlins8-5

Jul 19Lvs Orioles2-5

Jul 18Lvs Orioles2-4

Jul 18Lvs Orioles2-3

Houston isn't thriving either — the Astros are still under .500 and 4 games back in the AL West — but salvaging the finale after dropping the first two of this series is at least a step forward. Yordan Alvarez keeps carrying the offense, leading the AL in both home runs and batting average, and that's the kind of production that can paper over a lot of injury trouble.

Miami Marlins

(10)

• 10-Day-ILOwen Caissie (RF) — Caissie (calf) has been cleared to hit and has increased his defensive and plyometric work, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.07/22
• 15-Day-ILJohn King (RP) — King (ankle) is not expected to embark on a rehab assignment, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.07/22
• 15-Day-ILMax Meyer (SP) — The Marlins placed Meyer on the 15-day injured list Monday with a neck strain.07/20
• 15-Day-ILAnthony Bender (RP) — Bender (shin) was cleared to begin a throwing program Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILWilliam Kempner (RP) — The Marlins placed Kempner on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right elbow sprain.07/12
• 60-Day-ILJosh Ekness (RP) — Ekness (calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILRonny Henriquez (RP) — Henriquez (elbow) began playing catch from 60 feet out Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 60-Day-ILAndrew Nardi (RP) — The Marlins transferred Nardi (ribcage) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.06/01
• 60-Day-ILRobby Snelling (SP) — Snelling underwent internal brace surgery Friday to repair a torn UCL in his left elbow.05/22
• 60-Day-ILAdam Mazur (SP) — The Marlins placed Mazur (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08

Houston Astros

(5)

• 10-Day-ILBrice Matthews (CF) — The Astros announced that Matthews was removed from Sunday's game against the Rangers after the first inning due to a left knee injury, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.07/17
• 15-Day-ILMike Burrows (SP) — General manager Dana Brown said Wednesday that Burrows (elbow) is expected to begin throwing off a mound within the next 7-to-10 days, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.07/15
• 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — Wesneski (elbow) struck out three and allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk across four innings Sunday in a rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi. He also hit a batter and threw two wild pitches.07/07
• 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros announced Friday that Walter (elbow) is in the midst of a throwing progression at the team's complex in West Palm Beach, Fla., Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.06/04
• 60-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — Correa is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday in Houston to repair the tendon in his left ankle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.06/02