Marlins Ace Sandy Alcantara Throws 100-Pitch Shutout In Wicked Fast Game

Since the game didn't drag, so we won't either.

The Miami Marlins defeated Minnesota, 1-0, and only needed an hour and 57 minutes to do it behind a sensational pitching performance by Sandy Alcantara. Avisail Garcia's solo homer in the 2nd inning for the Marlins proved crucial in the final.

Miami's ace was so dominant Tuesday that he had the Minnesota team back to the locker room just two hours after the first pitch.

Alcantara's line on his 100-pitch day was nuts: 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks, 0 R.

Alcantara's shutout in a wickedly fast contest became the first sign of new normalcy in MLB's nascent pitch-clock era. When pitchers get hot, the game will advance as such.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at loanDepot park on April 04, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

It was one of the quickest games in MLB history. The game topped Saturday's Opening Day Guardians game, which ran for two hours and four minutes, for the fastest contest of the new season.

The record for the shortest MLB game still goes to a 2005 Seattle Mariners home game that lasted one hour and 39 minutes. However, in this new era of clock management, that record is bound to be broken ... the clock is ticking.

(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Now the argument to be made with such a quick contest is fans' perception of whether they're getting their money's worth when they attend ball games.

Then again, if an elite performance by a pitcher now means games fly by and can fit within a two-hour window, the game now seems more accessible to fans on tight windows. In this pitch clock era, it's better to hit a quick baseball game rather than strapping down in a theater for three hours to watch the latest Marvel movie. Or in any era, really.