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 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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