Braves 3, Marlins 0: Paul Maholm pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings and Martin Prado homered as host Atlanta won for the ninth time in 11 games.

One night after clinching a playoff berth, the Braves won their fourth in a row to remain four games back of Washington in the NL East. The Nationals defeated the Phillies 8-4 later Wednesday.

Maholm (13-10) allowed five hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Prado belted a solo homer to left with one out in the bottom of the first off Miami starter Josh Johnson (8-14). He added a single to right in the third to score Jose Constanza and give the Braves a 2-0 advantage.

Johnson struggled with command, walking five while striking out seven in six innings. He gave up three runs on four hits. Gil Velazquez finished 2-for-4 for Miami, which has lost six in a row and 11 out of 14.

Maholm allowed a Jose Reyes single in the third, then retired 13 hitters in a row before giving up Velazquez’s single in the seventh. Eric O’Flaherty pitched a scoreless eighth and Craig Kimbrel struck out four hitters in the ninth (one reaching on a wild pitch) for his 40th save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: O’Flaherty has not allowed an earned run in his past 27 games, dating to July 15. … Atlanta RF Jason Heyward stole his career-high 20th base in the first inning. … Miami suffered more bad injury news Wednesday when OF Justin Ruggiano learned he will miss the rest of the season with a right shoulder sprain.