Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara allowed just four hits over seven innings in a win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday in Miami. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Owen Caissie splintered a sweeper for a 104.1-mph RBI double in his first at-bat as a member of the Miami Marlins, giving them an opening day lead over the Colorado Rockies that they never lost Friday in Miami.
The rookie designated hitter, who joined the Marlins in an off-season trade, was not scheduled to start. He was announced as the Marlins’ No. 8 hitter after first baseman Christopher Morel was scratched from the lineup at the last minute due to an oblique strain.
“I think it happened two or three hours before the game, so it wasn’t that bad,” said Caissie, who went 1 for 4 in the 2-1 victory at loanDepot park.
“I did my scouting report last night, so I was already ready, I guess.”
Welcome to Miami, Owen Caissie!
His first hit with the Marlins is a RBI double #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/xkwL1PRqq8— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2026
Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara allowed just four hits and one unearned run over seven innings to earn his first win of 2026. With the victory, the Marlins won on opening day in consecutive years for the first time since 2004-05.
“Everything was working today,” Alcantara said. “The sinker was good. The changeup. I threw a lot of sweepers today. You guys see the results.”
Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards sliced a single off Rockies starter Kyle Freeland in the second at-bat of the bottom of the second inning. He came around to score from first base when Caissie hit his opposite field double to the left center field fence.
“I swung at one in the dirt right before that,” Caissie said. “I just wanted to see [a pitch] up [in the strike zone].”
Oh him? Yeah, he's goated pic.twitter.com/eeaAWY3Zx8— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 28, 2026
Third baseman Javier Sanoja doubled the lead with an RBI single in the next exchange with Freeland.
Alcantara held the Rockies to just one hit through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. The Rockies loaded the bases, but crossed the plate just once on an RBI single from right fielder Jordan Beck.
Marlins relief pitchers Andrew Nardi, Anthony Bender and Pete Fairbanks combined to allow just three hits and no runs, with four strikeouts, over the final two innings.
Sanoja went 3 for 3 in the victory. First baseman Connor Norby went 2 for 3 for the Marlins.
Freeland allowed five hits and two runs over 4 1/3 innings to drop to 0-1 in 2026. Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman went 2 for 4 in the loss.
The Marlins (1-0) will host the Rockies (0-1) in the second game of the series at 4:10 p.m. EDT Saturday at loanDepot park.
