Marlins at Braves
Ronald Acuna is grabbing headlines with his prolific home run tear, and Freddie Freeman continues tormenting the Miami Marlins as the Atlanta Braves enter the finale of a four-game home series Wednesday. Freeman belted his eighth homer of the season off Miami pitching in Tuesday’s 10-6 victory, raising his average against the Marlins to .439 with 14 runs scored in 14 contests as Atlanta moved two games ahead of Philadelphia in the National League East.
Still, Acuna remains the focal point given his incredible work at the top of the order, as the 20-year-old rookie outfielder blasted a leadoff homer Tuesday for the third consecutive game and the fourth time in the past five contests - the seventh time in the past eight outings Acuna has homered. He then smashed a three-run homer in the seventh to give him eight homers, 15 RBIs, 13 runs scored and a .471 average during his current eight-game hitting streak. The Marlins are in a massive tailspin, losing for the 13th time in their past 15 games, and despite pounding out 11 hits fell to 3-11 against the Braves this season. Catcher J.T. Realmuto continues to be one of the bright spots in Miami’s bleak season, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs Tuesday to raise his average on the season to .296.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), FS Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (3-12, 4.74 ERA) vs. Braves RH Kevin Gausman (6-9, 4.27)
Urena looked like an emerging star in posting a 3.82 ERA with 14 wins a season ago, but he came into Tuesday tied for the most losses in the NL and near the top in earned runs allowed (68). The 26-year-old is 1-3 in his past four starts with a 6.64 ERA and five homers allowed in 20 1/3 innings, a stretch that began on July 23 when he gave up five runs over four innings in a loss to Atlanta. For the season, Urena is 0-3 against the Braves with a 6.75 ERA and 15 hits allowed in 16 innings.
Gausman has pitched well in his first two starts since being traded by Baltimore on July 31, giving up four runs over 13 innings. The 27-year-old was outstanding in his first home start Friday against Milwaukee, allowing one run on six hits with no walks and eight strikeouts across eight innings to win his first for the Braves. Gausman, who surrendered three runs over five innings during his Atlanta debut Aug. 4 at the New York Mets, has walked only 34 hitters in 137 innings in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta RF Nick Markakis finished 1-for-5 and is hitting .422 during his 11-game hitting streak.
2. Miami RF Brian Anderson singled in the ninth inning Tuesday, snapping a 2-for-20 skid.
3. The Braves have averaged 5.5 runs and 9.8 hits per game while winning 13 of their past 17 games.