Alcantara, Pauley HR Lead Marlins to 5-0 Shutout Win Over Cardinals

Tuesday, July 29th, 2025

ST. LOUIS – The Miami Marlins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0 on Tuesday night, highlighted by Graham Pauley's first home run for the Marlins and a dominant five-inning performance from starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara.

Marlins Pitching Dominates Cardinals Lineup

Sandy Alcantara (6-9) was stellar on the mound, pitching five scoreless innings. He allowed only three hits and walked three, while striking out four batters and hitting two. The bullpen continued the strong performance, with Calvin Faucher, Ronny Henriquez, and Valente Bellozo combining for four additional scoreless innings and striking out six Cardinals hitters, ensuring the shutout.

Offensive Spark from Pauley and Johnston

Miami's offense provided consistent pressure on Cardinals starter Sonny Gray (10-5). Troy Johnston made his major league debut, singling off Gray in his first at-bat. Graham Pauley then launched his first home run as a Marlin, giving Miami an early 2-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Kyle Stowers hit a two-out double, setting the stage for Otto Lopez, who snapped a 13-at-bat hitless streak with an RBI single, extending the Marlins' lead to 3-0.

The Marlins continued to add insurance runs in the sixth. Dane Myers singled, followed by an RBI double from Eric Wagaman. Xavier Edwards then capped off the inning with a run-scoring triple, making the score 5-0.

Cardinals Notes and Injury Update

Cardinals reliever John King exited the game in the ninth inning after retiring Xavier Edwards and Jesús Sánchez, appearing to suffer an injury.

On the basepaths, Victor Scott II recorded two stolen bases, tying him with Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs for second in the National League with 29 steals this season. Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz leads all of Major League Baseball with 34 stolen bases.

Key Moment

The Cardinals threatened in the fifth inning, loading the bases after Pedro Pagés singled, Victor Scott II walked, and Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch. However, Sandy Alcantara rose to the occasion, striking out Alec Burleson swinging to end the inning and preserve the Marlins' 3-0 lead.

Key Stat

The St. Louis Cardinals were shut out for the 10th time this season, managing only four hits and striking out 10 times against Miami pitching.

Up Next

Cal Quantrill (3-8, 4.95 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. He will face Miles Mikolas (6-7, 4.94 ERA) of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In summary

The Miami Marlins secured a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, marked by strong pitching and timely hitting. Rookie Graham Pauley hit his first Marlins home run, contributing to the offensive effort alongside Troy Johnston's major league debut single and key RBIs from Otto Lopez, Eric Wagaman, and Xavier Edwards. Sandy Alcantara pitched five scoreless innings, effectively shutting down the Cardinals lineup, a performance that was extended by a dominant Marlins bullpen. The Cardinals struggled offensively, recording only four hits and being shut out for the tenth time this season, despite Victor Scott II adding two stolen bases. This decisive win for Miami showcased their pitching depth and offensive potential.

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