Marlins Face Braves Looking For Rare Series Sweep
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ATLANTA (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It hasn't happened often this season but the Miami Marlins have a chance to complete a rare series sweep on Wednesday.
Justin Bour homered in four consecutive games as June turned into July, and the Marlins' first baseman has rediscovered his power stroke as August has turned into September.
The Marlins aim to complete a three-game sweep at the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and Bour – who homered 10 times before the All-Star break but only belted two in his first 35 games of the second half – comes into the finale with homers in three of his past four games.
Bour, who tied a club record with homers in each game from June 30-July 3, homered in each of the final two games of Miami's weekend series at Washington.
After he collected three hits in Monday's series opener, Bour belted a three-run homer and turned in a stellar defensive play in Miami's 7-1 victory Tuesday as the Marlins pulled within ½ game of the free-falling Braves for third place in the National League East.
Atlanta sat at 42-42 after July 7 but has completely fallen apart since, losing 36 of 48 – including the last seven in a row.
Right fielder Nick Markakis has at least one hit in 12 of his past 13 games and 33 of his past 39 contests, and is fourth in the NL with 152 hits.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Adam Conley (2-1, 4.96 ERA) vs. Braves RH Williams Perez (4-5, 5.56)
Conley makes his sixth start of his rookie season after giving up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts over five innings Friday to beat Washington.
The 25-year-old has pitched in relief four times, including giving up three runs on three hits in three innings against the Braves on Aug. 6.
Conley has allowed three runs or more in three of his five starts.
Atlanta's pitching has been in flux since Perez was demoted to Triple-A Gwinnett after giving up eight runs in 1 2/3 innings of Friday's start against the New York Yankees, but he is expected to be promoted to take his turn in the series finale.
The 24-year-old rookie has struck out 52 while walking 42 and surrendering nine homers in 81 innings. Perez is 2-2 with a 6.46 ERA in six home starts.
WALK-OFFS
- Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-2 with a walk Tuesday in a rehab game with Single-A Jupiter, telling reporters his left hand "just felt OK;" Stanton broke a bone in his left hand June 26.
- Atlanta 3B Hector Olivera went 0-for-4 on Tuesday in his major-league debut. Olivera was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a July 30 trade involving 13 players.3. The Braves have been outscored 63-21 through eight games of their current nine-game homestand.
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