One Streak Ends, Another Extends; Atlanta Braves Fall to Marlins
By Dan Horton
Atlanta Braves winning streak halted at seven and lose to Marlins. Freddie Freeman extends hitting streak to 28 games; hits 32nd homer in losing effort.
Game two in Miami for the Atlanta Braves got off to a positive start. The Braves gave Aaron Blair an early 1-0 lead before he even took the mound.
Ender Inciarte led off with an infield single and after an out by Adonis Garcia, Freddie Freeman drove Inciarte in with a single. That single extended Freeman’s hitting streak to 28 games.
The Marlins jumped on Blair quickly and gained the lead off a Derek Dietrich 2-run home run. A walk to Dee Gordon and then a long drive off the right field foul pole.
Atlanta tied it in the score at 2 in the 2nd inning. A double from Anthony Recker and a fly ball from Dansby Swanson moved Recker to third. Gordon Beckham then lifted a SAC fly to ball that allowed Recker to score easily.
The Marlins regained the lead in the 3rd. A single, hit by pitch, and a walk loaded the bases for Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton grounded out on a soft grounder to Garcia, where his only play was to first to get the second out of the inning.
Blair was able to get out of the inning with a great diving play by Swanson on a hard ground ball. Swanson saved a run, maybe two, with the play getting the force at 2nd base.
In the Marlins 4th, the fish loaded the bases on 3 straight singles off of Blair. Marcel Ozuna put one in play with a flay ball to right field, and pushed the lead to 4-2 Marlins.
Blair was lifted after that play, going only 3 and a third innings. But also, the Marlins pinch hit for their pitcher in the 4th, so neither pitcher went past the 4th inning.
Jed Bradley, on to spell Blair, allowed a stolen base to Gordon, his third of the night, and then a passed ball from Recker let another run in, putting Miami up 5-2.
A great moment in the top of the 5th, Rio Ruiz made his long-awaited debut. Ruiz, who if you’ll remember, was announced as a pinch hitter in the rain shortened game in Atlanta last week, but never got to the plate. Ruiz made contact, but popped out to third, in the middle of the diamond.
In the Braves 6th, Freddie Freeman ambushed a fastball from former Brave Hunter Cervenka to get the Braves within 2. Freeman’s 32nd long ball of the year was a line drive laser that cleared the wall easily.
Nick Markakis then proceeded to drop a single into center, blowing up the lefty-lefty match-up Don Mattingly was hoping for.
With two out in the 7th, Mallex Smith pinch hit and got around to third after two were out. With Freddie Freeman at the plate and a 3-1 count, Marlins reliever Fernando Rodney uncorked a wild pitch that lodged in the netting of the backstop.
Mallex Smith scampered home bringing Atlanta one run closer. Kemp then struck out to end the frame, but the Braves were within one run heading to the bottom of the 7th.
Miami extended the lead back to two on a fielder’s choice on a ground ball to Garcia. Garcia made a great play on the ball, but took too long to make the throw to first. Miami led 6-4.
Atlanta went quietly in the ninth and in order. The Braves try to get back in the win column tomorrow afternoon in the finale against the Marlins.
First pitch slated for 1:18. Miami honors Ichiro prior to the game. Atlanta sends Julio Teheran in search of his 7th win of the season. Miami will counter with Adam Conley.