Youngsters power Braves past Marlins

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[August 07, 2015]  ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves keep squeezing wins out of players who weren't on the major league roster coming out of spring training.

On Thursday night, it was left fielder Eury Perez, who began the season at Triple-A Gwinnett. Perez dropped a two-out single into shallow left field to drive in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Braves beat the Miami Marlins 9-8 at Turner Field.

Castro led the Braves with three hits. Perez and second baseman Jace Peterson had two hits apiece, and rookie third baseman Adonis Garcia added a two-run homer for Atlanta.

"It's a land of opportunity," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

With shortstop Daniel Castro at third base, Perez lobbed a pitch from Bryan Morris (3-3) just in front of a diving effort by left fielder Derek Dietrich. Castro, who was in Gwinnett two weeks ago, began the inning by lining a single off Morris's leg. The reliever's rushed throw to first was wild, sending the runner to second.

"We've got some players that battle," Gonzalez said, "and that gives you a chance to win every night."

Rookie Arodys Vizcaino pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record his first career save. Vizcaino pitched around a one-out single by right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who reached second on a wild pitch but was stranded there.

The winning pitcher was Andrew McKirahan (1-0), who allowed the Marlins to score three runs and tie the game in the eighth, his only inning. It was McKirahan's first major league win.

The Marlins absorbed their fourth consecutive loss while falling to 2-8 against the Braves.

Miami second baseman Dee Gordon hit a two-run single in the eighth, and center fielder Christian Yelich (three hits) drove home the tying run on a fielder's choice when the Braves couldn't complete a double play.

"It's tough to lose a game when you score eight runs," Miami manager Dan Jennings said. "You feel like you should win the game. But I like where the offense is."

The Marlins jumped on top with two runs in the first inning. Yelich drove in a run with a single up the middle, and third baseman Martin Prado got the second run home with a sacrifice fly to left field.

The Braves responded with a pair in the bottom of the first. Right fielder Nick Markakis drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left. Center fielder Cameron Maybin knocked in the second with a single, scoring catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-out double.

The Braves added three runs in the second inning. The rally started when Castro hit a line drive that struck the knee of Marlins starter Jose Urena and caromed away for a single. Urena fell to the ground in pain but remained in the game to complete the inning.

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After Castro was sacrificed to second, he scored on Peterson's single up the middle. Perez was hit with a pitch. Peterson and Perez both scored when Markakis doubled to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.

Miami made it 5-4 with a pair in the third. Dietrich hit a solo homer, his seventh, to right field and Prado hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Yelich.

Urena was unable to return to the mound for the third inning because of the injury. He allowed five runs on six hits in two innings.

"He was a little disappointed, but he took a good shot," Jennings said. "He wanted the opportunity to gut it out, but if it was going to alter his delivery at all, there's no way we were going to do it."

The Marlins tied the game 5-5 with a run in the fifth inning when Yelich doubled and scored on Prado's single to center field.

The Braves took an 8-5 lead with three runs in the fifth against reliever Adam Conley. Maybin walked and came around to score when Yelich slipped trying to field first baseman Joey Terdoslavich's line drive, which was scored as a triple. is Garcia followed with a two-run homer, his fourth.

That gave Atlanta starter Matt Wisler the lead and put him in line for his sixth win. Reliever Matt Marksberry threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings, but McKirahan couldn't close the deal.

NOTES: Atlanta put 2B Jace Peterson back in the leadoff spot and moved RF Nick Markakis back in the No. 3 hole. Peterson entered Thursday's game batting .355 over his last nine games, hitting in the No. 6 slot. ... The Marlins gave C J.T. Realmuto (bruised left hand) a second consecutive day off. ... The Braves promoted RHP Jason Hursh, the team's first-round draft choice in 2013, to Triple-A Gwinnett. Hursh has made 24 appearances at Double-A Mississippi, the last nine as a reliever, and he was 3-6 with two saves and a 5.14 ERA. ... Miami sent RHP Jarred Cosart (vertigo) to Class A Jupiter, where he will begin a rehab process that could land him back with the Marlins in September, if not sooner. ... The pitching matchup for Friday is Miami RHP Jose Fernandez (4-0, 2.13 ERA) against Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran (7-6, 4.59).

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