Another game, another offensive outburst, another series win. The Braves continued to bounce back and then some from their 12-0 drubbing in the series opener, riding a trio of homers, including two by Michael Harris II, to yet another easy win over the Marlins in Miami.
The Braves wasted no time in opening the scoring against Sandy Alcantara. Ronald Acuña Jr. beat out a single to short, and then Harris unloaded on a hanging 1-2 changeup, sending a 110+ mph laser over the fence in right-center to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead. In the second, it was Mike Yastrzemski’s turn to jump on a changeup, and though he didn’t hit it as hard as Harris (102, not 110+), it still had enough to get past the field of play and give the Braves a 3-0 advantage.
Spencer Strider faced the minimum through two thanks to a double play, but Owen Caissie caught up to an elevated fastball to start the third and lofted it 400+ feet for a solo shot. Then, in the fourth, it was Kyle Stowers’ turn to scoop a Strider 1-2 curve below the zone and send it just far enough to give the Marlins another solo shot.
Not to worry, though, as the Braves stormed right back. Yastrzemski and Ha-Seong Kim each singled to start the fifth, and after a successful bunt by Chadwick Tromp, Acuña lined a ball past the drawn-in infield to make it a 5-2 game. Strider struck out the side in the bottom of the frame, working around a walk. A Yastrzemski opposite-field double plated a sixth Atlanta run. Strider then worked another perfect frame, retiring the top of the Miami order on two soft groundouts and a nine-pitch strikeout.
Sandy Alcantara departed after six innings. It was a pretty poor outing in an inconsistent season for him, as he managed just three strikeouts while allowing two homers. At least he didn’t walk anyone — but the two homers allowed were his first since he allowed four homers in two starts back in mid-April. Cade Gibson threw a scoreless seventh, though the frame involved a Tromp single and a hit-by-pitch of Eli White, who came in for Acuña after the latter made a precautionary departure due to pain in his thumb.
Strider came back out for the seventh, but he didn’t complete the inning. Stowers popped him for another homer, again on a low breaking pitch. This time, it was a slider still in the zone, but the result was largely the same. Stowers came into this game with a single homer on the year, and collected two off Strider tonight. After a routine flyout and a four-pitch walk, the Braves pulled the plug on Strider. His final line was 6 1/3 innings with a 9/2 K/BB ratio. It was kind of a weird outing — an FIP in the 7.00s due to the three homers, but an xFIP below 3.00, due to the stellar K/BB effort. It was his longest outing of the year, the nine punchouts were the most he had since last July, and it was the fourth three-homer game of his career.
Dylan Lee relieved Strider and the Marlins actually sent the tying run to the plate after a pinch-hit single greeted the Braves’ ace lefty reliever. A strikeout and a groundout stifled the threat, though, and the Braves pretty much rolled from there. Mauricio Dubon hit for Yastrzemski in the eighth and blooped a two-run single to make it 8-3. Robert Suarez threw an 11-pitch perfect frame with a strikeout in the eighth, and then Harris, not to be outdone by Stowers, hit his own second homer, this time off Pete Fairbanks on a letter-high, 98 mph fastball. Harris now has a 135 wRC+ on the season, and likely pushed his xwOBA back over .400 with tonight’s effort. Woo and wow.
Dylan Dodd struck out two in the ninth to end the game, giving the Braves their 35th win.
The lads will return home to start a weekend set with the Nationals tomorrow, but they’ll have a happy flight given that they’re on yet another win streak at this point.
Vote for Braves Player of the Game, May 21
The Braves won again on Thursday night, taking three-of-four from the Marlins. It was another positive offensive performance for Atlanta although it was wrought with injury scares (not cool!).
Vote for your choice for Braves Player of the Game below.
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