TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION SEPTEMBER 13TH
#954 MIAMI with Alcantara (-130) over Philadelphia with Falter at 6:40 PM EST
With a little steam off their 10-6 blowout win over the Rangers last night, the Marlins will pick up another dub with their ace on the bump. Philadelphia checks in off an easy three-game sweep (at home) over Washington and the Phillies will run into trouble here.
Right-hander Sandy Alcantara will toe the rubber for the home team. With 28 starts completed this season, No. 22 has surrendered only 53 earned runs and 151 hits in 196.2 innings. Alcantara fanned 177 and issued only 47 free passes on his way to a solid 12-7 tally with a 2.43 ERA. Sandy has been nearly flawless in his own backyard. In South Beach, Alcantara has allowed only 19 earned runs and 71 hits in 106.0 frames. That’s good enough for an 8-3 mark with a strong 1.61 ERA.
Young southpaw Bailey Falter will counter for the visitors. So far this year, No. 70 has appeared in 15 games (11 starts) and been scratched for only 28 earned runs and 62 hits in 62.2 frames. Falter struck out 55 and walked 13 on his way to a 4-3 record and a 4.02 ERA. Bailey hasn’t pitched much on the road and that will be an issue matched up against one of the best arms in the National League. As a guest, Falter has allowed 10 earned runs 26 hits in 27.0 innings. That equates to a 1-1 record with a 3.33 ERA.
There are a few team trends that work against the road team too. Philadelphia has slipped in six of its last seven as a guest, seven of its last nine facing a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15, and six of its last seven as a guest fighting a foe that holds a team won/loss percentage less than .500.
The Phillies are locked into the No. 2 slot in the NL Wild Card standings and the Marlins will thrive in this spoiler role. Take Miami with Alcantara. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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