LDN - Sports

Braves continue winning ways vs. Marlins

[July 01, 2016] ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves have a winning record against just one team, but they made the Miami Marlins pay for their struggles against everyone else.

Brandon Snyder drove in two runs with a pinch-hit triple in a four-run sixth inning, Tyler Flowers had three doubles before being ejected and the Braves' 8-5 victory Thursday night improved their record to 7-2 against the Marlins.

Nearly a fourth of the wins for the Braves (27-52) have come against Miami (41-38).

It got tense in the ninth inning, though.

"It was too eventful for me there at the end, but we won the game," Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said.

Arodys Vizcaino gave up a pair of two-out walks in the ninth inning and catcher Flowers was ejected by home plate umpire Larry Vanover for arguing before Adeiny Hechavarria doubled in a run.

"What I saw it wasn't a very good (strike) zone all night," Flowers said. "Finally the situation gets tight there at the end and I thought it was a blatant strike. So it comes a point where you have to do something. It's better me than a pitcher getting ejected."

Mauricio Cabrerra, making his third major league appearance, got pinch-hitter Cole Gillespie to end the game with a fly ball, recording his first save.

"Every time I've put him in has been a tough situation," Snitker said. "I felt for our team we had to make a move right there, and he came in and got the job done."

It was the third straight loss for the Marlins, who lost twice in Detroit while being outscored 17-6.

"I just feel like we're not getting prepared somewhere properly," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "I feel like I'm missing something with this. I've just got to do a better job of getting us ready to play. We're not getting them out. We're having trouble in different areas."

In addition to three hits by Flowers, Jace Peterson, Freddie Freeman, Nick Markakis, Erick Aybar and Chase d'Arnaud all had two hits in the Braves' 14-hit outburst. Peterson has hit in a career-best 11 straight games.

Justin Bour is the only Marlin who seems to excel against the Braves, hitting a three-run homer in the second inning to give him 22 RBIs in 21 games. It was his 15th homer of the season and the eighth of his career against the Braves.

"He's been swinging good," Mattingly said. "You get the point where you think you might have to play him (against) lefties and things like that."

Miami starter Wei-Yin Chen (4-3) was pulled after a walk and single with one out in the sixth inning, and the Braves went to work against reliever Mike Dunn.

Aybar had a run-scoring single, Snyder delivered his pinch two-run triple and d'Arnaud drove in the final run with a hit off Dunn's glove.

Chen, who stayed in after a 68-minute rain delay in the middle of the third, was charged with four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. The left-hander struck out two and walked two, leaving after 82 pitches.

"He threw an inning in the bullpen," Mattingly said. "After (the rain delay), I didn't think he was as sharp, and that's where I kind of beat myself up a little bit, letting him go out for the sixth."

Left-handed reliever Dario Alvarez (2-1) was credited with the victory for the Braves after getting the last two outs in the top of the sixth inning.

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Braves outfielders Chase d'Arnaud (left) and Emilio Bonifacio (64) react after defeating the Miami Marlins at Turner Field. The Braves defeated the Marlins 8-5. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Flowers' double in the seventh inning off Kyle Barraclough scored Markakis, who had singled, and pushed the Braves' lead to four runs.

Ichiro Suzuki had a pinch-hit sacrifice fly for the Marlins in the eighth inning off Jim Johnson, but the Braves scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning on d'Arnaud's double against Brian Ellington.

J.T. Realmuto had three of the Marlins' seven hits off seven Braves pitchers.

Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz, back on the mound after nearly a month on the disabled list because of elbow soreness, didn't return after the rain delay.

An error by Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia and a walk preceded Bour's three-run homer in the second inning.

Foltynewicz, who made just one rehab start, allowed only one runner to reach in the first and third innings. He gave up two hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out two, with one of the three runs unearned.

"I felt good, but once I got in the stretch I couldn't find a rhythm," Foltynewicz said. "I left one over the middle of the plate to Bour, and that's not what you want to do. I wish I could have gone longer, but the bullpen picked me up for six innings."

The Braves scored twice in the third inning against Chen to get their comeback going. Freeman had an RBI triple and Markakis a run-scoring single after Peterson's leadoff hit.

NOTES: The Marlins acquired RHP Fernando Rodney, who was 17 for 17 in save opportunities with the Padres, in exchange for RHP Chris Paddack, a prospect pitching in Class A. Rodney, 39, had a 0.31 ERA in 28 appearances, striking out 33 in 28 2/3 innings. ... The Braves traded RHP Bud Norris to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Double-A OF Dion Toscano, a player to be named and about $1 million for two bullpen prospects -- LHP Phil Pfeifer and RHP Caleb Dirks. Norris, 31, was 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA in his last five starts. ... The Braves signed 2B Omar Infante, released by Kansas City, to a minor league contract. ... RHP Julio Teheran (3-7, 2.46 ERA) takes a 23-inning scoreless streak into his Friday night start for the Braves. Miami has not named its starter. ... The finale of the four-game series on Sunday night will be played at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

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