MIAMI -- Marcell Ozuna is no fan of cats, but maybe the charcoal-gray feline that scampered onto the field Tuesday night at Marlins Park will bring his team good luck.

"I detest cats," Ozuna said. "I don't like them ... at all.

"That cat made me a little worried, a little scared. First thing I was thinking was of bad luck. But I said 'OK, if you're here, it's for some reason. Maybe it's good luck, and let's play.' "

Ozuna certainly had a huge night, slugging two homers and driving in a career-high six runs as the Miami Marlins won their home opener, defeating the Atlanta Braves 8-4.

Miami improved to 4-3. Atlanta (1-6) lost its fifth game in a row.

Ozuna hit a sacrifice fly in the first, stroked an opposite-field three-run homer in the third and slugged a two-run shot to left in the fifth.

It was his second two-homer game. His first was June 20, 2016 against the Colorado Rockies.

The crowed was announced at 36,519 ... plus the cat, which created a stir on Twitter when it was spotted by TV cameras in the fifth inning, racing from the first-base area and eventually crawling up the center field T-Mobile sign after being approached by Marlins outfielders Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton.

Call it a "Rally Cat" for the Marlins.

"I was just hoping it wasn't black," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of the cat, referring to the kitty that supposedly cursed the Chicago Cubs' playoff chances in 1969.

There was no curse on this night for the Marlins as Dan Straily (1-1) earned his first win as a member of the team, allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings.

Bartolo Colon (0-1) took the loss, allowing six runs in 3 1/3 innings.

"He got a little fat on the strike zone," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Colon, presumably no pun intended. "He wasn't as crisp as he was his last start."

Miami opened the game with three straight singles, which led to three first-inning runs.

Dee Gordon and J.T. Realmuto set the table, and Yelich knocked in the first run with his opposite-field single. After a walk to Stanton, Miami capped the inning with sacrifice flies by Justin Bour and Ozuna.

Ozuna's homer to right in the third scored Yelich and Bour, who had singled.

Nick Markakis pulled a solo homer to right in the fourth, cutting Miami's lead to 6-1.

Atlanta, with the help of a fielding error by Straily, scratched for two runs in the fifth. But that was negated by Ozuna's two-run shot in the bottom of the inning, increasing Miami's advantage to 8-3.

The Braves added one more run in the sixth, but it was in vain as Atlanta lost once again.

"It's early," Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips said. "I don't like to say that, but it's still early."

Two players made their major league debuts in this game. Marlins shortstop J.T. Riddle went 0-for-4, and Braves pinch hitter Johan Camargo struck out but reached on a wild pitch.

The game also marked the Marlins' first opener since the death last September of Jose Fernandez, the brilliant pitcher who lost his life in a boating accident that also took the lives of two other people.

Ozuna said he had Fernandez on his mind during the game.

"Let's go, brother," Ozuna said he told himself, thinking of Fernandez. "'I'm going to play for you always.'"

NOTES: Braves LF Matt Kemp (left hamstring) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. ... Braves 2B Brandon Phillips stole his 200th career base in the second inning. ... Marlins SS J.T. Riddle, 25, was batting .429 in 14 at-bats at Triple-A New Orleans when he was recalled Sunday. ... Marlins C J.T. Realmuto was named the NL Player of the Week after batting .500 with two homers. ... The Marlins honored the 20th anniversary of their first World Series title team. Three members of that 1997 team threw out first pitches -- C Charles Johnson, SS Edgar Renteria and RHP Livan Hernandez. ... Half of Miami's starting infield is on the disabled list: 3B Martin Prado (hamstring), has yet to play this season; and SS Adeiny Hechavarria (oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday. ... Braves LHP Jaime Garcia (0-1, 6.00 ERA) will start against Marlins RHP Tom Koehler (0-0, 1.80) on Wednesday.