Jesús Sánchez hit a go-ahead double in the seventh inning, and the Miami Marlins defeated the hot Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Saturday night, ending Atlanta’s four-game winning streak.
The Braves had won four games in a row and six of their last seven before this game, and they were 5-0 against the Marlins at Truist Park this season.
Jake Burger was 2 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. This was his fourth homer in five games and his 17th of the season. Sánchez went 3 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a steal. Nick Fortes was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Xavier Edwards extended his on-base streak to 20 games by going 1 for 3 with two walks.
Sánchez said, “Since the beginning of the game, we were doing the little things, and we were going to play until the end of the game. We took advantage of our chances.”
Declan Cronin (3-3) got the win with two scoreless innings. Calvin Faucher earned his first save of the season and second of his career by striking out two in the ninth inning.
Faucher had given up three runs to the Braves on Friday night, which caused the Marlins to lose 5-3 after having a 3-2 lead.
Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said, “It was important to get him back out there. The way we are managing the bullpen now, you figured he would have a chance to get out there sooner rather than later.
Really good to see him go on the attack, no walks, and face a similar part of the lineup. He went through a little bit of a rough game yesterday, so for him to come back like that and close it out is pretty special.”
For the Braves, Matt Olson went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Marcell Ozuna hit his 32nd home run, and Eddie Rosario was 1 for 4 with an RBI. The Braves have homered in nine consecutive games, their longest streak of the season.
Sánchez’s RBI double in the seventh inning drove in Fortes, who had started the inning with a single. After Edwards walked, Burger hit into a double play, moving Fortes to third base. Fortes easily scored on Sánchez’s double into the left field corner, putting the Marlins ahead 4-3.
Schumaker said, “We could have been deflated inside that dugout (after the Burger double play), but Sánchez had that great at-bat and obviously knocked in the winning run.”
Pierce Johnson (4-3) took the loss, giving up the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Braves starter Grant Holmes pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out four.
Holmes had a 3-1 lead after four innings and retired the first two batters in the fifth. But consecutive singles by Fortes, Edwards, and Burger made it 3-2, and Sánchez’s double tied the game at 3-3.
The Braves knocked Marlins starter Kyle Tyler out of the game after 2 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits and four walks. Five Marlins relievers pitched the last 6 1/3 innings without giving up a run.
Schumaker said, “The bullpen was fantastic. The bullpen was lights out with a lot of swing-and-miss. To come back after a tough loss last night shows what that bullpen is all about out there.”
