Marlins 8, Braves 2
ATLANTA -- Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton broke his slump just in time to help Tom Koehler finally get a victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Stanton, who had seen an 0-for-12 skid drop his average to .130, drove in four runs with a pair of singles and a double to key the Marlins' 8-2 victory Tuesday night.
The right fielder had just three RBIs previously and the 3-for-3 game with two walks lifted his average at least to a more presentable .231.
The victory was the first for the Marlins (2-6) over the Braves (6-2) after four losses in which they had scored just five runs.
Koehler came in 0-3 lifetime against the Braves despite having quality starts in his past five outings against them. He actually wasn't as sharp this time as he had been earlier, but benefited from the Marlins' offensive awakening and reliever A.J. Ramos getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth with a four-run lead.
Koehler, 10-10 with a 3.81 ERA last season, allowed six hits and two runs, both homers, in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Stanton's two-run double in the eighth padded the lead for the Marlins, who finished with 11 hits. First baseman Michael Morse, second baseman Dee Gordon and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria joined the hit parade with two each.
First baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher A.J. Pierzynski hit back-to-back homers in the fourth inning for the Braves, but by then Trevor Cahill had put them in a large hole.
Cahill struggled mightily in his first start for the Braves, lasting just 2 1/3 innings and giving up four runs. He allowed five hits, walked three and hit a batter in the shaky outing.
The Marlins, batting just .211 and scoring only 2.86 runs per game coming in, had scored three times by the time Cahill had thrown 15 pitches.
Miami had two singles, a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly in its opening five batters. Stanton drove in the first run with a single, third baseman Martin Prado followed with a sacrifice fly and then Morse delivered an RBI double.
Cahill forced in the Marlins' fourth run in the third, giving up his second walk of the inning immediately after hitting a batter. The only hit in the inning was a single by Prado.
Cahill won 18 games for Oakland in 2010, but was 3-12 with a 5.61 ERA for Arizona last season and spent time in the minors.
With a hole to fill in the rotation, the Braves took a chance, though, and acquired the right-hander from the Diamondbacks at the end of spring training.
Sugar Ray Marimon, making his major-league debut, got out of Cahill's mess in the third, but allowed a fourth-inning run as Stanton drove in Gordon, who had singled and swiped second base.
The Braves' homers in the bottom of the inning came three pitches apart. Freeman connected with a 3-2 fastball for his second of the season and Pierzynski picked on a 1-0 changeup for his second of the year against Koehler.
The Braves beat the Marlins 2-0 in Miami last Wednesday on Pierzynski's homer in the seventh inning.
NOTES: LF Christian Yelich, who landed hard after a circus catch Monday, was scratched from the Marlins' lineup because of a tight back and could miss a few days. "I think it's something that has kind of been lingering for a day or so," manager Mike Redmond said. "That play probably didn't help it." ... OF Ichiro Suzuki, who subbed for CF Marcel Ozuna on Sunday, replaced Yelich and batted second. ... C A.J. Pierzynski, who beat RHP Tom Kohler with a two-run homer in the seventh inning at Miami last Wednesday, got his third start for the Braves. ... Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez used his eighth lineup in as many games. ... Braves 3B Chris Johnson, who had been 6-for-11 with four doubles as a regular, made consecutive starts for the first time. ... Marlins RHP Dan Haren, who had three straight quality starts against the Braves with the Nationals and Dodgers, will start the series finale against Atlanta LHP Eric Stultz, who is also in his first season with a new team. ... There will be a quick turnaround, with Wednesday's game starting at 12:10 p.m. ET. ... RHP David Phelps will come off the paternity list and start for the Marlins against the Mets in New York on Friday as a replacement for disabled RHP Henderson Alvarez (elbow).