Game Recap: Braves sweep fish, strengthen their lead in the NL East

The Atlanta Braves finished off a sweep of the second place Marlins today and extended their lead in the NL East to nine games. Atlanta has season best eight-game win streak for third different time in 2023.

The Braves got a 6-3 win thanks to a few home runs and a strong outing from Spencer Strider. His final line was 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 9 Ks which brought his FIP under three (2.98) for the season.

Strider got off to a hot start on a warm day as he got around a Jazz Chisholm Jr. infield single to work a scoreless first. The Braves got their turn in what has perhaps become the most anticipated half inning in baseball, that being the Braves first turn at the plate.

Baseball’s fWAR leader (4.6 coming into today), Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the game once again with a single followed by a stolen base, which was his 38th setting a new career high in steals before we reached the all-star break. After defending NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara got two outs, Matt Olson was able to deliver another hit with RISP.

Unfortunately, he hit it too hard (102.2 mph) and Ronald had to hold up at third. Travis d’Arnaud drew a walk to load the bases with two outs for Marcell Ozuna. Sadly, what came next was a groundout to third base and by some miracle the Braves actually failed to score in the first inning.

In the second inning Strider fell victim to a little BABIP as the Marlins worked in some singles and a fielders choice to take their first lead of the series. Luis Arraez then followed a bunt single from the catcher (Yes you read that right) with double to right and gave Miami an early 2-0 lead. Luckily, Soler had a flyout to center with men on base to avoid any further damage.

To the surprise of know one the Braves got one of those runs right back when all-star shortstop Orlando Arcia hit his seventh home run on the year to cut the deficit in half. Alcantara bounced back though as he struck out Ronald on a 100 mph fastball to end the inning.

Strider had a nice shutdown inning in the top of the third as he went strikeout, flyout, strikeout through the Marlins’ 3-4-5 hitters. However, Alcantara would match him with his first 1-2-3 inning of the day when he went flyout, strikeout, groundout through the heart of Atlanta’s order.

The Marlins got a two hit from Jonathan Davis, but he was he got TOOTBLAN when Travis d’Arnaud threw behind him at first and picked him off to end the top half of the fourth. In the bottom half the Braves went quietly as Alcantara had set down eight in a row and was pitching with a 2-1 lead at the completion of the fourth.

In the fifth the Braves were able to tie the game in an unconventional way by their standards when Michael Harris II singled with one out then went wild on the bases. During the Ronald AB, money Mike stole second, advanced to third on a poor throw from Stallings, and scored on a wild pitch.

Ronald then drew a walk and Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer that just crept over the right field wall to give the Braves a 4-2 lead. It was Ozzie’s 20th homer of the season, 15 of which have come as a left-handed hitter.

Strider came out in the sixth and had the definition of a shutdown inning as he struck out the side, the last coming on a 99 mph heater to Jesus Sanchez. The Braves had forced Sandy Alcantara out the game after five innings, and JT Chargois was first to come in as he worked a scoreless frame to end the sixth.

Our mustached flamethrower came out for the seventh and quickly racked up two more punch outs. Unfortunately, the inning continued after an E4 from Ozzie and walk to the nine-hole hitter Jacob Stallings.

That sequence ended the day for Spencer and brought on A.J. Minter to face Luis Arraez. The NL batting leader then slapped a single to left and the Marlins scored one run to make it 4-3. Soler then got rung up on a check swing strike three to end the inning.

Acuna Jr. doubled in the seventh and then stole third base, but was left on base when Ozzie flied out to left. Minter then came back out for the eighth and got a groundout, followed by a hit from Garrett Cooper. Snitker went to Ben Heller for some high-leverage outs, and once again he delivered retiring both guys he faced.

The Braves got the insurance they needed in the bottom half of the eighth when d’Arnaud followed an Olson double with an opposite field two-run bomb. The home run set a franchise record for homers in a three-game series (11). Atlanta failed to tack on anything else, but that homer from d’Arnaud did allow them to take a 6-3 lead into the final frame.

Closer Raisel Iglesias came on for the opportunity to record his 14th save on the season. To the delight of everyone he had a very uneventful clean inning and closed out the sweep of the Marlins.