Bullpen Can't Hold Lead As Braves Top Marlins 5-4
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ATLANTA (AP) — Brandon Phillips thought it was "epic" to get the Braves' game-winning hit for the second straight day.
Having his dad in the stands on Father's Day added to the thrill.
Phillips punched a ninth-inning single through a stacked infield to drive in Johan Camargo from third base and give Atlanta a 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.
Phillips also delivered the decisive run-scoring single in the 10th that gave Atlanta an 8-7 victory over Miami on Saturday.
"Yesterday was crazy but today was one of those epic things," Phillips said. "I never thought I'd have back-to-back walk-offs."
Camargo hit a one-out infield single off Drew Steckenrider (0-1) and moved to third on Ender Inciarte's line-drive single up the middle.
The Marlins called in Marcell Ozuna from left field to serve as an extra infielder positioned near second base for Phillips' at-bat. That strategy made Phillips think about lofting a fly ball to the outfield.
"I didn't get the ball in the air like I thought I was going to do, but I'll take it," he said.
Phillips, who is from the Atlanta suburbs, was traded to the Braves from Cincinnati for two minor league pitchers in February. He is hitting .306.
"It feels good, just being here ... a dream come true," said the 35-year-old Phillips, who added that his father, James, and two of his children attended the game.
Jim Johnson (5-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said he called on Steckenrider, who was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans on June 10, because more experienced relievers needed a day off.
"The bullpen gets to a point where you use a lot of guys, so he's in that situation today," Mattingly said. "Probably a tough situation for him to be in today. Still, he's got to throw strikes. He's calm out there, so it's not really a bad situation, just not so good right now."
The Braves took a 4-2 lead with four runs in the seventh. Nick Markakis slapped a tiebreaking, two-run single down the third-base line.
The Marlins pulled even on Ozuna's two-run homer off Jose Ramirez in the eighth.
Miami right-hander Jose Urena allowed two hits through six scoreless innings before he was pulled after giving up singles to Kurt Suzuki and Dansby Swanson to open the seventh. David Phelps gave up a sacrifice fly to Rio Ruiz and a pinch-hit single to Camargo that tied the game.
Justin Bour's bases-loaded, two-run single off Mike Foltynewicz in the sixth gave Miami a 2-0 lead.
Urena hit three batters with pitches. There was no retaliation from the Braves, though Foltynewicz threw an inside pitch that forced Urena, who was trying to bunt, to jump back in the third inning.
Foltynewicz allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: LHP Justin Nicolino (bruised left index finger) will come off the DL to start against Washington on Monday night.
Braves: LF Matt Kemp made his first start since straining his left hamstring on Wednesday. He appeared as a pinch hitter on Saturday.
REMEMBER THAT, OZZIE?
Phillips became the first Atlanta player to drive in winning runs with game-ending hits on consecutive days in almost 30 years. Ozzie Virgil accomplished the feat on Sept. 18-19, 1988, against the Padres and Giants, respectively. The Braves have won 11 games in their last at-bat, most in the majors.
EARLY SHOWER
Snitker was ejected by home plate umpire Chris Segal for arguing a called third strike on Matt Adams to end the sixth. "I thought the ball was up. He didn't agree with me," Snitker said after his second ejection of the season.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Miami opens a home series against the Nationals on Monday night. Nicolino is 0-2 with a 6.55 ERA in three career games, including two starts, vs. Washington.
Braves: Atlanta's 10-game homestand continues with the first of four games against the Giants. RHP R.A. Dickey gave up seven runs, six earned, in his first start of the season against San Francisco, a 7-1 loss on May 28.
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