Marlins at Braves
J.T. Realmuto does his best work on the road, and he looks to continue his hot hitting away from home as the Miami Marlins play the second game of a three-game road series Saturday at the Atlanta Braves. Realmuto, who is hitting .332 in road games since the start of 2016, delivered an RBI triple and later scored in the sixth inning of the series opener Friday, helping lift the Marlins to a 2-0 victory over the Braves.
Realmuto finished 1-for-3 to give him a .319 average in 13 road games this season, and the Miami catcher is hitting .304 with 18 extra-base hits, 25 runs scored and 18 RBIs in 48 career games against Atlanta. The Marlins won for just the fourth time in the past 11 games, holding Atlanta’s strong offense to four hits as the Braves fell for just the third time in their past 10 contests. Right fielder Nick Markakis, who is enjoying an outstanding season at age 34, snapped an 0-for-8 skid with three hits, raising his average to .343. The Braves were shut out for just the second time this season, falling to 3-12 this season when scoring three runs or fewer.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (0-6, 4.38 ERA) vs. Braves LH Sean Newcomb (4-1, 2.51)
The Marlins have not won in any of Urena’s nine starts, scoring just six runs in his past four appearances. The 26-year-old, who won 14 games with a 3.82 ERA a season ago, entered the weekend leading the National League in losses, ranked eighth in hits allowed (51) and ninth in earned runs surrendered (25). Urena lost to the Braves on Sunday in Miami, giving up three runs on four hits with five strikeouts in six innings of a 4-3 defeat.
Newcomb is in the midst of the best stretch of his young career in his second season, entering Saturday having not allowed a run in 19 innings across his first three May starts. The 24-year-old battled some wildness in walking four Marlins in Sunday’s victory, but surrendered only one hit in six innings with six strikeouts. Newcomb has struck out 20 while allowing just five hits in his past three starts, victories over the Mets, Tampa Bay and the Marlins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta SS Dansby Swanson (left wrist inflammation) collected two hits in a rehab start Thursday for Class-A Rome, and after taking off Friday is expected to come off the disabled list Saturday.
2. Miami recalled LHP Adam Conley and LHP Dillon Peters from Triple-A New Orleans before Friday’s game, looking to shore up its bullpen.
3. Marlins RF Brian Anderson, the only rookie to appear in each of his team’s games so far in 2018, finished 1-for-4 and has reached base in 13 of his past 14 games.