Braves Go Fishing In Miami
Jul 3, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Braves are still in first place, although the margin is dwindling. They were in first place when just recently they lost 2 out of 3 to the Miami Marlins, who were then, and still are, in last place. The Fish have gotten healthy though, have made some good moves in their rotation, and are now much more of a team to be reckoned with. The Braves found that out the hard way losing the series to the Marlins the first of the month, and losing at home which they’ve rarely done this season.
The Marlins have been well below .500 all year, but have shown a resurgence lately after getting several of their injured players back in the lineup, and have now gone 16-11 since early June and had won 10 of 13 before Miami traveled to St. Louis and got summarily swept by the Cardinals over this past weekend.
The Atlanta Braves have played well at times, and awful at times since the last Marlins’ series, and lately it’s been anyone’s guess how they’ll do when facing any team. They sometimes surprise you by sweeping highly rated teams, and then shock you by losing to teams in the basement. The Braves will go fishing again, but this time in Miami, and hope that this series against the Marlins will be a pleasant surprise rather than the shocker Miami dealt Atlanta the first of the month.
Mike Minor (8-4, 3.15 ERA) will take the mound this evening in game 1 of the series against Kevin Slowey (3-6, 4.24) . Minor pitched well in the months of May and June, and the Braves won eight straight games while Mike was on the mound. Unfortunately, the Braves have lost the last three with Minor, so Mike will hope to get back on track in this series. Slowey has pitched well at times, but has struggled of late.
Game 2
ATL: Julio Teheran (6-4, 3.23)
MIA: Henderson Alvarez (0-0, 5.40)
Game 3