Marlins Hampered By Injuries In Home Opener Against Braves
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The Miami Marlins open the home portion of their schedule Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves, but will do so without the left side of their infield.
Third baseman Martin Prado, sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in the World Baseball Classic, will miss the two-game series as he begins a minor-league rehab assignment, and the Marlins placed shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria on the disabled list Sunday with a strained left oblique muscle.
Miami finished its six-game, season-opening road trip 3-3, and began the week fourth in the majors in batting average (.274). Atlanta, which closed last season with victories in 20 of its final 30 games, has been sloppy in losing five of its first six contests.
The Braves allowed three unearned runs each Saturday and Sunday in losses at Pittsburgh, and are last in the majors in runs scored (18). Left fielder Matt Kemp, who is 8-for-16 with four doubles and two homers in four games, is expected to play in the series opener after missing the final two games against the Pirates with tightness in his right hamstring.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Bartolo Colon (0-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Dan Straily (0-1, 13.50)
The oldest player in baseball made an impressive debut with his new team Wednesday, as the 43-year-old Colon held the Mets to one run on two hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six innings. Colon went 0-1 and posted a 5.65 ERA in three starts against Miami with the Mets last season. He is 7-5 with a 3.35 ERA entering his 15th career start against the Marlins.
Straily's Miami debut did not go well Wednesday, as he was yanked after allowing five runs on six hits with two walks in just 3 1/3 innings. He went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA in 34 games (31 starts) with the Reds last season, giving up a National League-leading 31 homers. Straily lost his only career start against Atlanta last season, giving up six runs on seven hits with three walks in 4 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta starting pitching ranks third in the majors in ERA (2.62) while its bullpen is 23rd (5.79) entering Monday.
2. Marlins C J.T. Realmuto is 11-for-22 this season, recording four multi-hit games with two homers and six RBIs.
3. Braves 1B Freddie Freeman homered twice during a four-hit performance Sunday and is batting .346 on the season.
PREDICTION: Braves 4, Marlins 2
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