Marlins at Braves
The Miami Marlins spread their bats across the clubhouse floor Tuesday next to a sign reading, “Do Not Touch The Bats,” and the malaise hindering the Miami offense subsided a few hours later. The Marlins look for their first winning streak of the season in Wednesday’s series finale at Atlanta, after breaking out of their offensive funk in Tuesday’s 8-2 victory.
The Braves have lost two of their past three since starting the season 5-0, and struggled Tuesday with runners in scoring position – going 0-for-4 in leaving eight runners on base. Backup catcher A.J. Pierzynski boosted his average to .400 with two hits, including his second homer. The Marlins were without left fielder Christian Yelich (back tightness) but saw Giancarlo Stanton drive in four runs and reach base five times. Dee Gordon added two more hits, raising his average to .364 while swiping his fifth and sixth bases of the season.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Dan Haren (0-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Braves LH Eric Stults (0-0, 5.40)
Haren pitched well Friday in a no-decision against Tampa Bay, allowing one run on four hits with no walks in six innings. The 34-year-old has won 10 or more games in 10 consecutive seasons and is eight wins from 150 career victories. Haren beat the Braves last season while with the Dodgers, and is 6-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 career appearances against Atlanta.
Stults received a no-decision in his Atlanta debut Friday against the Mets, allowing back-to-back homers in giving up three runs on seven hits in five innings. He is 2-3 in seven career games (six starts) against Miami with a 5.29 ERA, going 1-1 in two starts against the Marlins last season while with San Diego. Stults made 32 starts for San Diego last season, going 8-17 with a 4.30 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta P Sugar Ray Marimon allowed two runs on four hits in four innings in his major league debut Tuesday, and legged out an infield single in his first big-league at-bat.
2. Stanton, who came into Tuesday hitting .130 with three RBIs, finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks to bump his average to .231.
3. Atlanta 2B Alberto Callaspo went hitless in four at-bats, snapping his six-game hitting streak.