Kemp powers Braves past Marlins
MIAMI -- Matt Kemp slugged two home runs and had three RBIs as the Atlanta Braves won their sixth game in a row, defeating the Miami Marlins 6-3 on Thursday night at Marlins Park.
Kemp, acquired from the San Diego Padres on July 30, leads the Braves with 33 homers and 104 RBIs. He has 10 multi-homer games in his career, including three this season.
Atlanta's Freddie Freeman, who drove in two runs, extended his hit streak to 26 games. It's the longest active hit streak in the majors and the longest by a Braves player since Dan Uggla had a run of 33 in 2011.
The Braves (62-91) have the worst record in the National League but have been playing spoilers lately, sweeping three games at the New York Mets earlier this week and on Thursday knocking off the Marlins (76-77), who are barely alive in their pursuit of an NL wild-card playoff berth.
Josh Collmenter (3-0) earned the win for the Braves, who are 18-12 since Aug. 21. Collmenter allowed five hits, two walks and two runs in seven solid innings.
Jose Urena (4-8) took the loss, allowing five runs in three innings. In his past two starts, Urena has given up 12 runs in five innings.
Ender Inciarte started Urena's trouble, leading off the game with a triple to right-center and scoring on a groundout by Adonis Garcia. On Inciarte's shot, Marlins center fielder Christian Yelich made a long run and got the tip of his glove on the ball as he crashed into the wall.
That triple was Inciarte's first play since Wednesday night in New York, where he raced back to a similar spot on the field -- right-center -- and took a home run away from Yoenis Cespdes that kept the Mets from a walk-off win. Atlanta won 4-3 on that play.
Atlanta added to its lead with a four-run third. Freddie Freeman lined a two-run single just over the head of second baseman Dee Gordon and Kemp followed with the first of his homers, a two-run shot to left.
Kemp homered to left again in the sixth, giving Atlanta a 6-1 lead.
Miami's J.T. Realmuto hit a solo homer in the seventh to cut Atlanta's lead to 6-2. It was Realmuto's 11th homer of the season, one more than he had as a rookie last year.
The Marlins made it 6-3 in the eighth on an RBI double by Martin Prado, who drove a two-out shot over Inciarte's head. But that was as close at Miami got to the Braves.
NOTES: Indians RHP Bryan Shaw gets overshadowed in Cleveland's bullpen because he usually pitches after LHP Andrew Miller and before RHP Cody Allen, the closer. However, in his past 42 appearances before Thursday, Shaw had a 1.40 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .182 batting average. ... Indians OF Rajai Davis, 35, led the AL with 40 stolen bases heading into Thursday's action. He could become the oldest player to lead either league in steals since Rickey Henderson, at age 39, led the AL with 66 steals in 1998. ... Royals C Salvador Perez threw out Davis in the sixth inning Wednesday. It was the 30th attempted base-stealer Perez caught this year. The Kansas City record of 32 was set by Jason Kendall in 2010. ... LHP Danny Duffy will start for the Royals on Friday in Detroit against Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer. Indians RHP Trevor Bauer will face Chicago White Sox RHP Miguel Gonzalez on Friday in Cleveland.