Jesús Sánchez's tiebreaking double lifts Marlins to 4-3 win over red-hot Braves
Jesús Sánchez hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning and the Miami Marlins beat the red-hot Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Saturday night, halting Atlanta's four-game winning streak.
The Braves had won four straight and six of seven entering the game and were 5-0 against the Marlins at Truist Park this season.
Jake Burger was 2 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. It was the fourth home run in five games for Burger and his 17th of the season. Sánchez was 3 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs and a steal while Nick Fortes was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Xavier Edwards extended his on-base streak to 20 games by going 1 for 3 with two walks in the win.
"Since the beginning of the game, we were doing the little things, and we were going to play until the end of the game," Sánchez said. "We took advantage of our chances."
Declan Cronin (3-3) picked up the win with two scoreless innings. Calvin Faucher earned his first save of the season and second of his career by striking out two in the ninth.
Faucher gave up three runs to the Braves on Friday night as the Marlins saw a 3-2 lead turn into a 5-3 loss.
"It was important to get him back out there," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "The way we are managing the bullpen now, you figured he would have a chance to get out there sooner rather than later. Really good to see him go on the attack, no walks and went through a similar part of the lineup. He went through a little bit of a rough game yesterday, so for him to come back like that and close it out is pretty special."
Atlanta's Matt Olson went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Marcell Ozuna hit his 32nd home run and Eddie Rosario was 1 for 4 with an RBI for the Braves. The Braves have homered in nine straight games, their longest such streak of the season.
Sánchez's RBI double in the seventh scored Fortes, who led off with a single. After an Edwards walk, Burger hit into a double play to advance Fortes to third. He scored easily on Sánchez's double into the left field corner to put the Marlins ahead 4-3.
"We could have been deflated inside that dugout (after the Burger double play), but Sánchez had that great at-bat and obviously knocked in the winning run," Schumaker said.
Pierce Johnson (4-3) took the loss, surrendering the decisive run in the seventh inning.
Braves starter Grant Holmes lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out four.
Holmes had a 3-1 lead after four and retired the first two batters in the fifth. But consecutive singles by Fortes, Edwards and Burger cut the lead to 3-2, and a double by Sánchez tied it 3-3.
The Braves knocked Marlins starter Kyle Tyler out of the game after 2 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs on five hits and four walks. Five Marlins relievers covered the final 6 1/3 innings without giving up a run.
"The bullpen was fantastic. The bullpen was lights out with a lot of swing-and-miss," Schumaker said. "To come back after a tough loss last night shows what that bullpen is all about out there."
UP NEXT
Braves LHP Max Fried (7-5, 3.08) will pitch for the first time since the All-Star Game on July 16 against Marlins RHP Edward Cabrera (1-3, 6.65) in the finale of the four-game series.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: Starting RHP Reynaldo López remains day-to-day after leaving his last start July 28 with forearm tightness. Manager Brian Snitker said he doesn't expect López to go on the injured list.
