05/20/26 08:19:00
Printable Page
05/20 20:18 CDT Braves beat Marlins 9-1 behind Chris Sale and 3-run homers from
Austin Riley, Dominic Smith
Braves beat Marlins 9-1 behind Chris Sale and 3-run homers from Austin Riley,
Dominic Smith
By ALANIS THAMES
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) --- Austin Riley and Dominic Smith hit three-run home runs, Chris
Sale allowed just one run and struck out eight over seven innings, and the
Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 9-1 on Wednesday night.
Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II singled twice and Ronald Acua Jr added a
base hit for the NL-leading Braves.
Sale (7-3) limited the Marlins to four hits and picked up his seventh win after
losing his previous two starts. The 2024 Cy Young winner had not beaten Miami
in three career starts entering Wednesday, previously going 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA.
Sale settled in after allowing a leadoff walk to Xavier Edwards --- who scored
for a 1-0 lead on Heriberto Hernndez's sacrifice fly. The left-hander did not
allow a hit his final three innings.
Riley gave the Braves a 3-1 lead with a 415-foot drive off Janson Junk's
first-pitch sweeper, the third baseman's first hit after starting the series 0
for 8.
Junk (2-5) retired 11 straight after Riley's home run before Acua's leadoff
single in the sixth, followed by consecutive base hits by Harris, Matt Olson
and Albies to stretch the lead to 5-1.
Smith put the game out of reach with his 389-foot shot to center that ended a
12-pitch at-bat. Junk was lifted after allowing eight hits and striking out
three over five innings.
Smith reached again in the eighth with a drive to center. Esteury Ruiz dropped
the ball after a collision with right fielder Owen Caissie, which allowed Smith
to reach third. He then raced home on Ruiz's throwing error.
Riley drew the first walk of the game against Tyler Phillips in the eighth.
Pinch-hitter Eli White, who returned Wednesday from concussion protocol,
doubled in the ninth against position player Javier Sanoja.
Up next
Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.45 ERA) starts Thursday's series
finale against Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.53).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
|
