d’Arnaud’s blast powers 6-run 7th to rally Braves past Marlins

[October 07, 2020]  Travis d'Arnaud broke a seventh-inning tie with a home run as the Atlanta Braves erupted for six runs in the frame en route to a 9-5 victory Tuesday over the Miami Marlins in Game 1 of their National League Division Series in Houston.

Dansby Swanson also hit a homer in the pivotal inning. Ronald Acuna Jr. led off the first with a home run and Marcell Ozuna drove in two runs with a single and a double for the second-seeded Braves, who won for the third straight time in the postseason after having swept the Cincinnati Reds in the best-of-three first round.

Seeking to go up 2-0 again, albeit this time in a best-of-five, the Braves will send right-hander Ian Anderson against Marlins righty Pablo Lopez in Game 2 on Wednesday afternoon.

Down 4-3 and having seen their ace Max Fried knocked from the box after four innings, the Braves got even in the seventh when Austin Riley and Acuna ended Miami starter Sandy Alcantara's day with a pair of infield singles.

Reliever Yimi Garcia got Freddie Freeman to ground into a fielder's choice for the first out before Ozuna singled to left field, plating Riley with the tying run.

Then d'Arnaud bombed his go-ahead homer to center, a three-run shot that gave Atlanta the lead for good at 7-4.

The Braves weren't done. Ozzie Albies singled, ending Garcia's day, and Swanson followed by hitting reliever James Hoyt's first pitch over the fence in center field for a two-run homer and a 9-4 advantage.

Alcantara (1-1), who beat the Chicago Cubs in the Marlins' first-round sweep last week, was charged with five runs on eight hits in six-plus innings. He walked one and struck out eight.

Five Braves relievers combined to close the book on the win with five innings of three-hit, one-run relief. Will Smith (1-0), who worked a scoreless seventh, was credited with the win.

Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) delivers a pitch in the 1st inning against the Miami Marlins during game one of the 2020 NLDS at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Fried went four innings, allowing four runs and six hits. He struck out four and did not walk anyone.

Miguel Rojas countered Acuna's homer with one leading off the second to get the sixth-seeded Marlins even, before Garrett Cooper had a two-run double and Brian Anderson an RBI single in a three-run third that opened a 4-1 lead.

Ozuna and d'Arnaud had RBI doubles in the bottom of the inning, closing the gap to 4-3.

In addition to walking twice, D'Arnaud finished with three hits and four RBIs for the Braves, who beat the Marlins 6-4 in the season series. Acuna, Ozuna and Riley each collected two hits for Atlanta.

Anderson went 3-for-4 and Magneuris Sierra 2-for-4 for Miami, which was out-hit 12-9.

--Field Level Media

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