With family in the stands, Marlins starter Perez makes big impression
Eury Pérez touched 100.4 mph in the third inning — the fastest pitch of his major-league career.
The 22-year-old right-hander hit triple digits again an inning later and at least 99 mph a total of 11 times. His 89th and final pitch, yet another blazing four-seam fastball, clocked 98.5 mph.
If Pérez looked especially fired up in his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery, it's because he was.
It was his first outing of the three at home, and the buzz at loanDepot park during the Marlins' 7-0 loss to the Braves — thanks in part to Flanigan's Fest and an announced crowd of 21,198, the largest since Opening Day — added to the energy, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said.
But Pérez's adrenaline came from something more personal: his parents from the Dominican Republic, sitting behind home plate, watching him pitch in person for the first time in his professional career — a moment they had been planning since 2023.
'It was very exciting just having them and feeling the support from all of my family was very special for me,' Pérez said via team interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. 'We were planning to have my family here and then the injury happened, and it was not possible. So, we were aiming to have them here at home.
'I truly hope they stay here for a long time, and they can watch me play for several other games.'
Pérez noted his parents' seats were just a few rows above home plate, so he had a clear view of them on every pitch he threw. He tossed 4 2/3 innings Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two.
Pérez threw 70 pitches through three innings while giving up four runs on June 9 in Pittsburgh and followed that with a 79-pitch, one-run outing through four innings on June 15 in Washington.
'I think there's been a huge improvement since the first [start],' Pérez said. 'I'm continuing to build up each outing and just working on some of the pitches, like the slider. But I'm out there, and I'm competing every time I go out there on the mound and feeling better with each start.'
With two outs in the fifth and the Marlins trailing 2-0, McCullough turned to the reliever Lake Bachar even though Pérez had just gotten Matt Olson out on a groundout. McCullough said after the game Pérez had reached his target of 85 to 90 pitches.
'I thought Eury was terrific today, really encouraging,' McCullough said. 'All his pitches had life. Great to see him be able to utilize and trust in his breaking stuff today. His slider was very good. His arsenal being that much deeper is going to make it really tough on opposing hitters.'
'You know, it's good to see, good for the game when a guy like that comes back,' Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Pérez. 'Because you know what? He's one of the young stars in the game. I'm glad he's healthy and glad he's pitching because he's good for the game.'
Braves starter Grant Holmes was even more effective than Pérez on Saturday. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits, with five strikeouts and five walks.
The Marlins couldn't capitalize despite getting at least one runner on base in five of the first six innings. They finished 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position — Liam Hicks' single in the second advanced Eric Wagaman from second to third — and left nine runners on base.
'We weren't able to finish off some of those innings,' McCullough said. 'Unfortunate that we were not able to cash some of those in and get some [runs] early on in the game.'
▪ Left-handed reliever Josh Simpson made his major-league debut in the eighth inning, one day after right-hander Robinson Piña did the same. Simpson pitched two innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits, including a three-run homer by Drake Baldwin. He was selected from Triple A Jacksonville, and Piña was designated for assignment before Saturday's game.
▪ After giving up only four earned runs over 17 innings his past three starts, Sandy Alcantara is aiming to pitch deeper than his season-high six innings in Sunday's start. What's the key?
'I just leave that in my manager's hands. He knows I can be there longer now,' Alcantara said. 'He knows the way I've been competing since the first pitch. And my [velocity] is still there in the fifth, sixth inning. He's just got to believe in [me] and give me another opportunity to be out there in the sixth or seventh inning and just trust and leave me out there.'
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