Sparked by a dramatic pinch-hit double from Ronald Acuna Jr., the Atlanta Braves rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to beat the visiting Miami Marlins 6-4 on Friday.
The Braves, who earlier blew a 3-0 lead, tied the game when Matt Olson drew a leadoff walk and scored on Acuna’s two-out double off Anthony Bass into left field. Acuna missed the previous two games due to a tight right quadriceps.
Dansby Swanson then walked, and Ozzie Albies hit a bloop double to left field. Acuna scored the go-ahead run, and Swanson ran through a stop sign at third to score without a throw.
Atlanta improved to 1-20 when trailing after six innings. By taking the opener of a three-game series, the Braves won for the third time in four games. The Marlins took their third straight defeat and fell for the sixth time in seven games.
Braves reliever Jackson Stephens (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings before A.J. Minter struck out the only man he faced in the eighth. Kenley Jansen worked around a hit in the ninth inning, striking out two and recording his 11th save.
Bass (1-2) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in one-third of an inning.
Neither starting pitcher got a decision. Miami’s Trevor Rogers tossed five innings and allowed three runs on four hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Atlanta’s Ian Anderson pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits and three walks. He fanned five.
Rogers retired the first 12 batters in faced, a streak that ended when Austin Riley hit a fastball 417 feet into the bleachers in left field. It was Riley’s 10th home run of the season.
Atlanta added two more runs in the inning. Travis d’Arnaud doubled and scored on a double by William Contreras. With two outs, Travis Demeritte ended a 0-for-34 streak by slapping an RBI single to center field, his first hit since May 14.
Miami answered with a pair of two-run homers in the sixth inning. Jon Berti singled before Garrett Cooper crushed a fastball 446 feet for his third long ball of the year. After Jorge Soler walked, Jesus Aguilar followed with his sixth homer.
Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna went 0-for-4, ending his 12-game hitting streak.
–Field Level Media
