Sports

Jose Urena Beats Braves 7-1 To End Marlins' 5-Game Skid

September 9, 2017 / 12:14 AM EDT / CBS Miami

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ATLANTA (AP) — After beginning the season in the bullpen, Jose Urena has developed into perhaps Miami's top starter.

Urena's latest case for ace status was a win against the Braves that ended a losing streak.

Urena allowed only three hits in 6 1/3 innings and added his first career RBI to stop Miami's five-game skid and lead the Marlins to a 7-1 win over Atlanta on Friday night.

Urena (13-6) gave up a fourth-inning homer to Freddie Freeman but little else. Atlanta's only other hits off Urena were a second-inning single by Tyler Flowers in the second and a bunt single by Ozzie Albies in the sixth. Urena struck out the side in the fifth.

Is it time to call Urena the ace of Miami's staff?

"You almost have to at this point, right?" said Marlins manager Don Mattingly. "He's kind of been that guy that time in and time out to keep us in a game."

Urena made six relief appearances before joining the rotation on May 7. He has been especially effective on the road, where he is 9-1.

Ichiro Suzuki hit his 2,500th career single in the ninth, when the Marlins scored four runs. Tyler Moore drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single.

Derek Dietrich gave Miami a 3-0 lead when he led off the third with his 10th homer.

Miami began the night eight games behind Colorado for the second NL wild card after losing 10 of 11.

Miguel Rojas and Urena had back-to-back RBI singles off Mike Foltynewicz (10-12) in the second. Urena took a .077 batting average into the game and had not driven in a run in 69 career at-bats before his liner to right field drove in Suzuki, who walked.

"It took a long time but I made it," Urena said.

Foltynewicz allowed three hits on six hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out six of the last 10 batters he faced.

"Ending the way I did was a positive," Foltynewicz said. "The early innings I think I just get a little too fast with everything. That's when mechanics get a little off and I can't throw strikes consistently."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: 1B Justin Bour (right oblique strain) had a double, sliding headfirst into second, in his first at-bat in his return from the DL. He was placed on the DL on July 25. Mattingly said Bour likely will be given a day off on Saturday "and then get him back on track."

Braves: OF Nick Markakis was held out of the lineup after suffering a bruised right wrist when diving for a ball in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Rangers. ... C Tyler Flowers (bruised left hand) came off the 10-day DL and had one hit.

STANTON RESTS

Giancarlo Stanton, only 4 for 39 since Aug. 28, was given his first break from the Miami starting lineup since July 6. He was issued an intentional walk as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. Three of Stanton's four hits in the stretch were homers, giving him 53 for the season, the most in the majors. Suzuki started in right field.

50 STEALS

Dee Gordon stole second base in the ninth following his second single of the game. The steal was his 50th of the season.

WELL DONE

Ronald Acuna, who played at three different levels and made it to Triple-A for Atlanta, was chosen as the minor league player of the year by Baseball America. The 19-year-old outfielder hit a combined .325 with 21 home runs and 82 RBIs. He stole 44 bases and finished with 60 extra-base hits.

UP NEXT

Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (6-7, 5.09) is 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA in six career games, including five starts, against Atlanta. He allowed four runs, three earned, in a 5-3 loss to the Braves on Aug. 4.

Braves: LHP Max Fried (1-0, 3.86) will try for his second straight win after he gave up a run and four hits in five innings in his first start, a 5-1 win at the Cubs on Sunday.