Marlins not 'going to fold' after a few losses

MIAMI -- With the Marlins playing so many close games this season, the margin of victory is slim. In Sunday afternoon's 2-1 loss to the Brewers in 10 innings at loanDepot park, the club dropped its eighth one-run game in 10 opportunities. It's a reversal of last year's 11-8 mark.

After opening the homestand with four straight wins, the Marlins lost two in a row. Miami now departs for a second consecutive three-city, 10-game trip. The last time they went on the road for that long, they held an 8-9 record and went on to lose seven-of-10. The Marlins hope for better fortune this time around, especially with the promise of second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and catcher Jorge Alfaro returning by the end of it.

"You don't want to lose the last couple of the homestand, but I think we have to look at it in general: We got off that other trip [and] got our momentum back a little bit,” manager Don Mattingly said. “I think guys are feeling pretty good about it. We're on another three-city trip, so we're going to have to get our wins. I think we're getting healthier, [and] by the end of the trip we'll probably get guys coming back. So we're getting closer to where we're getting back to full strength. Not really worried about our guys. We're not a club that's just going to fold up when we lose a couple."

Below is a breakdown of some of the key swings in Sunday's game.

4th Inning

T4: Daniel Vogelbach's leadoff homer
Milwaukee 1, Miami 0
63% win probability -- MIL

T4: Jackie Bradley Jr. singles to put runners at second and third with one out
Milwaukee 1, Miami 0
72% win probability -- MIL

Despite not having his best stuff, right-hander Sandy Alcantara went a season-high-tying seven innings. He limited the damage in the fourth by inducing a Luis Urías groundout, then intentionally walking Billy McKinney. Luke Maile flied out to center to end the threat.

"I just want to go deep in the game, just taking [it] pitch by pitch, try to make really good pitches to get out of jams," Alcantara said. "Sometimes you're going to get in trouble, but you don't have to worry about it. You've got to pitch and throw it. I believe in my catcher, and I believe in myself, and I believe in my stuff. And I know when I've got my best stuff they are in trouble.”

7th Inning

B7: Lewis Brinson's leadoff homer
Miami 1, Milwaukee 1
59% win probability -- MIA
Of note: 23.2% differential -- second largest of the game

Brinson knocked a game-tying homer -- with a pink bat for Mother’s Day -- on the third straight slider he saw. The former top prospect, who was the centerpiece of the Christian Yelich trade, collected hits in his first three at-bats on Sunday. His shot to center against J.P. Feyereisen was on a middle-middle slider. It marked the first earned run allowed by Feyereisen in 18 outings.

"It felt good,” said Brinson, who pointed to his mom in the stands after crossing home plate. “I had a good plan going into that at-bat, looking for something soft. Got some barrel on it and had enough juice to get it out of here and tie the ballgame. I wish we could've pulled that one out, but we battled all the way to the end. It definitely felt good. And obviously, the emotion of it being Mother's Day and how much my mom means to me is very special for me."

10th Inning

T10: Tyrone Taylor’s two-out RBI single
Milwaukee 2, Miami 1
84% win probability -- MIL
Of note: 35.7% differential -- biggest in the game

B10: Isan Díaz strikes out swinging
Milwaukee 2, Miami 1
72% win probability -- MIL

With Brinson starting the inning as the runner at second per MLB rules, Mattingly allowed Díaz to swing away rather than bunt. Miami decided to play for two runs rather than one. Though Díaz worked a full count, Drew Rasmussen struck him out on the eighth pitch. The thought process behind this strategy was to force the Brewers to pitch to pinch-hitter Jesús Aguilar.

"That's the one that you kind of kick yourself with for me," Mattingly said. "It's like you look back and say, 'Well, I should've did it the other way.' I really feel like Isan at that point is going to put this guy in play, and a good chance it's going to be on the right side. And that's kind of where you kick yourself. You play for one, you play for that tie, or you feel like we can do it the other way and take three shots and then go for the win. Again, it's one of those [where] you make the choice. Afterwards if it doesn't work, it's one of those you don't like the result."