Miami confident in Sixto to avoid elimination
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After failing to come through with the big hit off the Braves' pitching staff in Wednesday afternoon’s 2-0 loss in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Marlins face elimination on Thursday afternoon.
They’ll hand the ball to rookie sensation Sixto Sánchez with their season on the line at Minute Maid Park.
| Game | Date | Result | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Oct. 6 | ATL 9, MIA 5 | Watch |
| Gm 2 | Oct. 7 | ATL 2, MIA 0 | Watch |
| Gm 3 | Oct. 8 | ATL 7, MIA 0 | Watch |
Shop for postseason gear: It will be a massive task. In the history of best-of-five postseason series, teams taking a 2-0 lead have gone on to win the series 73 of 83 times (88 percent). The most recent team to rally from a 2-0 deficit was the Yankees against the Indians in 2017. Of the 73 teams to advance after winning the first two games, 49 finished off a sweep in Game 3.
But who else would you want on the mound if you were Marlins manager Don Mattingly?
Sánchez dazzled this year, from a 10-strikeout performance against the Rays in his second career start to a seven-inning complete game against the Phillies. He has shown that the postseason won’t faze him; in the Wild Card Series, he blanked the Cubs across five innings, with six strikeouts against two walks to seal the Marlins’ sweep and get them here, to the NLDS.
Now Sánchez is tasked with making sure they stay here.
“We have all the confidence in the world in Sixto and his ability and what he’s been able to do for us this year,” second baseman Jon Berti said. “And this group, we’ve been through so much this year, so much adversity, that we’re up for every challenge. Obviously our backs are against the wall here, but we’re going to go out here and have that same mentality. Play loose, try to win one game at a time and get ourselves back in this thing.”
All it takes is one win to get on a roll and put the momentum in their dugout, as Mattingly noted, and the Marlins will look to Sánchez to give them that win.
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Sánchez will throw his full arsenal at the mighty Braves lineup, which was limited to two runs and three hits on Wednesday against Marlins starter Pablo López. Six of López’s seven strikeouts came via his changeup, and Sánchez has limited batters to a .148/.165/.148 slash on his changeup this year.
But Sánchez also brings the heat with his fastball. He recorded seven pitches of 100 mph or faster in the game against the Cubs, tied for fourth most by a starting pitcher in a postseason game (since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008). Sánchez also threw nine more pitches between 99.5 and 100 mph, and 68 of his 89 pitches in that game were 95 mph or faster.
The Braves hit .260 (ninth in the Majors) and slugged .453 (tied for seventh) against pitches 95 mph or faster.
So it will most likely be power against power in this must-win game.
“Sixto’s a guy that you look at as a really good young pitcher on the rise, because he throws everything for strikes," Mattingly said. "He throws his fastball for strikes, he can locate it. Throws his changeup for strikes. Slider for strikes. Curveball. He gets the ball to both sides of the plate. That right there is a lot for a young guy to be able to do.”
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The Braves have shown this year -- and especially this series -- that they’ll take advantage of any mistake a pitcher leaves over the plate. Sánchez will need to control the strike zone, and he has impressed almost everyone with the way he has been able to do that at his age.
“We’re pretty confident every time he takes the mound he’s going to give everything he has in the tank,” López said. “And his stuff is so good, if he’s landing his pitches and if he’s aggressive, pounding the strike zone, he’s going to have a really good game. That’s how he does it. He’s got a good mentality. He’s got a really good mound presence. We have to go out tomorrow and focus on winning that game.”
The Marlins just need one to keep their season alive. They’re confident that Sánchez can deliver.
“We don’t need to win three, we just need to win one,” Mattingly said. “And that’s where it starts. We can’t think about winning three, we have to think about winning one. And then the momentum turns and puts a little more pressure on them.”