Alcantara sets Marlins’ career strikeouts record in 6-4 win over Rangers

By: The Associated Press Posted: 9:07 PM CDT Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2026

MIAMI (AP) — Sandy Alcantara set the franchise career record for strikeouts and won his fifth consecutive start in June, leading the Miami Marlins to a 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

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Alcantara (8-4), who allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings, struck out Kyle Higashioka in the seventh inning to surpass Ricky Nolasco for the most strikeouts in club history with 1,002.

The crowd of 9,971 gave Alcantara, who struck out four overall, an ovation and he tipped his cap to different sections of the stands. Alcantara’s outing ended after he walked Nicky López on four pitches following the strikeout of Higashioka.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara reacts after becoming the Marlins all time leader in strikeouts during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Alcantara allowed five hits through the first 3 2/3 innings then retired 11 straight. After allowing eight runs and 10 hits in a loss at Toronto on May 26, Alcantara has completed at least seven innings in three of his five starts in June.

Heriberto Hernández homered and doubled, while Joe Mack and Owen Caissie also went deep for the Marlins, who built a 6-1 lead before the Rangers mounted a comeback attempt.

Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff homer in the eighth and down to their last out in the ninth, the Rangers chipped away against Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks. Joc Pederson hit a solo homer and Wyatt Langford was hit by a pitch. Nimmo cut the margin with an RBI triple. Fairbanks got the last out when Josh Jung hit a drive that was caught at the warning track by center fielder Jakob Marsee.

Mack hit a go-ahead solo homer against Rangers reliever José Corniell (0-1) in the fourth to put the Marlins ahead 2-1.

Miami padded the lead in the fifth on Caissie’s three-run blast and Mack’s RBI single.

Lopez hit an RBI groundout with the bases loaded to give Texas a 1-0 lead in the second. Miami tied it in the bottom half on Hernández’s leadoff homer.