Ozzie Albies hit a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 9-2 win over the host Miami Marlins on Saturday night.
Albies went 2-for-6 with five RBIs, but he wasn't Atlanta's only star. Catcher Brian McCann went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and left fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. tied his career high with four hits, going 4-for-4 and raising his batting average from .270 to .294.
Acuna was lifted after his final hit of the night, which had a 110-mph exit velocity. Acuna was holding his hand in pain after that at-bat.
Mike Soroka (3-1) earned the win, allowing three hits -- all singles -- two walks and two runs, none earned. He walked two and struck out six. He threw 19-of-30 first-pitch strikes, and he also picked up his first career RBI on an opposite-field single in the seventh.
Reliever Nick Anderson (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing five runs -- including Albies' slam -- in 1 2/3 innings. His ERA went up from 2.08 to 4.91.
Marlins starter Trevor Richards lasted only 4 1/3 innings and allowed no runs, but he used 90 pitches to work out of near-constant jams.
In fact, Atlanta threatened with two runners on in the first inning. But Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro made an outstanding play ranging to his left, throwing Nick Markakis out from the outfield grass. Castro had two assists and one putout in the frame.
Miami scored two unearned runs in the second. Jorge Alfaro got on base on shortstop Dansby Swanson's fielding error to start the rally. Jon Berti then hit a routine grounder, but third baseman Josh Donaldson's throw to second for the would-be force was high for another error. Peter O'Brien followed with a two-run single.
Atlanta threatened again in the fourth, but Ender Inciarte flew out with the bases loaded and two outs, ending Richards' 37-pitch inning.
With a runner on in the fifth, Freddie Freeman nearly tied the score, but his drive was caught on the warning track.
The Braves finally broke through with five runs in the sixth as McCann's RBI double preceded Albies' slam.
Atlanta added four runs in the seventh on McCann's two-run single and RBI hits from Soroka and Albies.
--Field Level Media
Atlanta | Miami | |
Mike Soroka | Player | Trevor Richards |
Win | W/L | No Decision |
7.0 | IP | 4.1 |
6 | Strikeouts | 3 |
3 | Hits | 2 |
0.00 | ERA | 0.00 |
Atlanta | Miami | |
Ronald Acuna Jr. | Player | Rosell Herrera |
4 | Hits | 1 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
4 | TB | 1 |
1.000 | Avg | .333 |