Braves at Marlins
Alex Wood and Nathan Eovaldi match up for the second time in a week Saturday, when the Atlanta Braves visit the Miami Marlins, and both hurlers hope to replicate their individual performances from Sunday’s contest. Wood tied a career high with 12 strikeouts to lead the Braves to a 1-0 victory, while Eovaldi gave up the game’s only run on Evan Gattis' solo homer. Miami has scored fewer than three runs in 12 of Eovaldi's 28 starts. Eovaldi hopes the Marlins can carry over their offensive showing from Friday’s 11-3 victory in the series opener, as Miami has scored two runs or less in 12 of his 28 starts.
The Braves have lost four times at Marlins Park this season and allowed nine or more runs in three of those defeats. Miami collected a season-high 18 hits while batting 10-for-21 with runners in scoring position in Friday’s rout. Donovan Solano has torched Atlanta pitching in 2014, batting .429 with a pair of four-hit performances. Atlanta has dropped four of its last six games, being shut out in three of those contests and not scoring Friday until it was down 7-0.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Alex Wood (10-10, 2.92 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Nathan Eovaldi (6-10, 4.19)
Wood has fanned a dozen hitters in two of his last five starts, going 3-1 with a 2.04 ERA and a .185 opponents' batting average since Aug. 10. He has made four appearances (three starts) against Miami in 2014, going 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA. Wood is 7-9 in 20 outings with a 2.71 ERA, striking out 123 in 129 2/3 innings as a starter.
Eovaldi posted a 3.50 ERA in six August starts but finished the month 1-4 despite allowing two earned runs or fewer four times. He yielded nine hits with one walk and six strikeouts Sunday against the Braves and is 1-2 with a 2.34 ERA in five starts versus Atlanta this season. Eovaldi has lost his last four starts and seven of his last eight decisions since the start of July.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami RHP Henderson Alvarez (left oblique) will not start Sunday as the Marlins will go with LHP Brad Hand in the series finale. Veteran RHP Brad Penny will pitch Monday at Milwaukee.
2. The Marlins have scored 29 runs on 47 hits in their last four games.
3. Atlanta LF Justin Upton returned to the lineup Friday after missing Wednesday’s game with a bruised left triceps muscle.