Braves at Marlins
The Miami Marlins open the home portion of their schedule Monday night against the Atlanta Braves, but there is a stark difference between this home opener and last year’s debut of Marlins Park. Miami started 2012 with plenty of optimism after a flurry of offseason acquisitions and the opening of its new ballpark, but an offseason fire sale leaves expectations substantially lower for 2013. The Marlins blew a ninth-inning lead against the Mets on Sunday, wrapping up the first week 1-5.
The Braves completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday and bring a 5-1 record into their first road contest of the season. Atlanta’s lineup will be without cleanup hitter Freddie Freeman, who was placed on the disabled list before Sunday’s game with a strained right oblique muscle. The Braves dominated the season series with Miami in 2012, winning 14 of 18 meetings.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports South (Atlanta), Fox Sports Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Paul Maholm (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Kevin Slowey (0-1, 1.69).
Maholm shined in his season debut, limiting Philadelphia to six hits and no runs with one walk and six strikeouts on Wednesday. The left-hander has posted a 3.27 ERA in 12 starts since coming to Atlanta in a trade from the Cubs last summer. Maholm went 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA against Miami last season.
Slowey pitched well in losing his season opener Wednesday at Washington. The right-hander allowed one run on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Slowey won 13 games with Minnesota in 2010, but has not won in 15 appearances (nine starts) since.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta plays 16 of its next 18 games away from home, including three in Washington this weekend and 10-game road trip to Pittsburgh, Colorado and Detroit later this month.
2. The Marlins did not score for the first 20 innings of the season, and other than a seven-run performance Friday have just seven runs in their other five games.
3. The Braves’ bullpen has posted a 1.80 ERA in six games, with two wins, two saves, four walks and 15 strikeouts in 20 innings.