Braves 2, Marlins 1
Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer and Julio Teheran outdueled fellow rookie Jose Fernandez as host Atlanta won its fifth consecutive game.
Freeman collected two of the Braves’ five hits while Teheran (11-7) allowed one run on four hits and struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings. Two relievers bridged the gap to Anthony Varvaro, who gave up a hit over the final two innings en route to his first career save as first-place Atlanta increased its lead over Washington in the National League East to 14 games.
Fernandez (10-6) had his five-game winning streak snapped despite permitting two runs on three hits and striking out eight over six frames for the Marlins, who have lost nine of their last 10. After giving up back-to-back hits in the first inning, the 21-year-old right-hander yielded only a leadoff double by Freeman in the fourth.
The Braves got to Fernandez for their only runs in the first as Elliot Johnson lined a one-out double to deep right and Freeman jumped on a first-pitch fastball that hit off the top of the fence in center and bounced over. Fernandez tripled for the first time in his career to open the third and Christian Yelich drove him in with a single to left.
Teheran walked a pair of batters after surrendering his only run but escaped the third and allowed only one more baserunner before Scott Downs relieved him after 98 pitches. Downs and Luis Ayala each recorded an out and Varvaro - giving major-league saves leader Craig Kimbrel a rest after he pitched in three straight games - yielded only an eighth-inning single by Giancarlo Stanton.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Atlanta is 17-3 over its last 20 home games. … The two first-inning runs were more than Fernandez had allowed over his previous three starts combined. However, the 20-year-old, who missed an opportunity to become the first Marlins rookie to win six straight decisions since Dontrelle Willis in 2003, extended his streak of holding opponents to two runs or fewer to 10 starts. … Freeman is batting .405 against Miami this season.