Sports

Markakis Has 2-Run Single In 8th, Braves Top Marlins 4-2

May 28, 2016 / 12:17 AM EDT / CBS Miami

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ATLANTA (AP) — When a ball hit by Nick Markakis glanced off Nick Prado's glove and into left field, driving in the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning, the Braves felt a break finally had gone their way.

Markakis hit the tie-breaking, two-run single with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth and Atlanta beat the Miami Marlins 4-2 on Friday night for a rare home win.

The Braves snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to only 3-20 in home games.

"When that ball went off that glove it was just like wow, it can happen," said Braves interim manager Brian Snitker. "We were wondering."

The Braves began the day tied with Minnesota for the majors' worst record but improved to 4-0 against the Marlins.

Ian Krol (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth. Arodys Vizcaino recorded three straight outs in the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.

Atlanta's Jeff Francoeur had four hits, all singles, and drove in a run.

The liner by Markakis off David Phelps (3-3) was initially ruled an error — a call Prado wouldn't have disputed.

"That's a ball I have to catch," Prado said. "It's hard for me to explain how I missed that ball."

Markakis said he was just trying to put the ball in play.

"With two strikes I was just looking to protect and put the barrel of the bat on the ball," Markakis said. "Wherever it ends up, it ends up."

Only an overturned call kept the inning alive and made the decisive at-bat by Markakis possible.

The Braves had the bases loaded with one out in the eighth when Tyler Flowers hit a grounder toward the pitcher's mound. Phelps fielded the ball and threw to catcher J.T. Realmuto for a forceout. Realmuto threw to first and first-base umpire Ben May called Flowers out for an apparent inning-ending double play.

The call was overturned following a review, setting up the Markakis at-bat.

Ichiro Suzuki doubled to lead off the third and scored on Marcell Ozuna's double. Ozuna had three hits, boosting his batting average to .343 and giving him a nine-game hitting streak.

Atlanta right-hander Williams Perez allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk in six innings.

RISP WOES

The Braves were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position while trailing 2-0 through four innings. They finally came through when they knocked Adam Conley out of the game with four straight hits in the fifth. Flowers' double to the center-field wall drove in Freeman, who had a one-out single. They finished 5 for 21 with runners in scoring position.

WILD CONTROL

Conley walked only one batter in 4 1/3 innings but he threw a wild pitch and hit three Braves batters with pitches — Freeman, Flowers and shortstop Erick Aybar. Daniel Castro replaced Aybar in the fifth after a low pitch from Conley hit Aybar's right foot in the fourth. The Braves said Aybar is day to day with a bruised foot and X-rays were negative.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: OF Giancarlo Stanton (right side soreness) missed his third straight game. He took swings in the batting cage and "felt pretty good," according to manager Don Mattingly. Stanton did not take batting practice with the team on the field. OF Christian Yelich (back spasms) missed his seventh straight start but walked as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Braves: RHP Shae Simmons, who missed the 2015 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, had tightness in his triceps after three rehab appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett. He said he felt better Friday. He had hoped to come off the DL for his 2016 debut as early as next week. He now hopes to resume his rehab schedule within a week.

UP NEXT

Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (3-2, 4.61) will make his second start of the season against the Braves on Saturday. He did not receive a decision after allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Marlins' 6-3 loss to Atlanta on April 15.

Braves: Rookie RHP Aaron Blair will be recalled to start on Saturday. He was 0-3 with a 7.59 ERA in five games before being sent back to Triple-A Gwinnett on May 18.