The Atlanta Braves are one of the best offenses in baseball and have been dominant against NL East opponents this season. Atlanta had a 5-1 lead at one point during their series finale with the Miami Marlins. However, Miami stormed back to eventually take a 7-6 lead into the top of the ninth inning.
Miami sent lefty reliever Tanner Scott to the mound hoping he would be able to seal the win for his side. Ronald Acuña Jr. greeted him with a single but Scott made quick work of Ozzie Albies for the first out. Austin Riley battled hard and hit a ball deep to center field but it was right at Jazz Chisholm Jr.
With two outs in the inning and the game on the line, Marcell Ozuna stepped to the plate hoping for a big hit to tie things up. Ozuna had hit the ball well all afternoon and just missed a home run in the seventh inning. However, he did double off of the wall, scoring Matt Olson and bringing Atlanta within a run of the lead.
Ozuna energizes Braves fans with clutch game-winning homer in Miami
Marcell currently carries the longest hit streak in Major League Baseball at 13 games. He's started the 2024 season hitting just as well as he did at the end of last year. Fans can almost expect a hit when he comes up to the plate now. You can't turn away from the screen for too long.
Today was no different as Ozuna came to the plate with the game on the line. He quickly found himself down 0-2 after an ugly swing on an inside slider. The Braves slugger took that opportunity to use his allotted time out to readjust and take a moment to collect himself.
He stepped back into the box, hoping to deliver a big hit to give his team a chance to win. Tanner Scott delivered the pitch and it was a slider that caught too much of the plate. Ozuna got the barrel to it and sent it screaming toward center field. It looked good off the bat but it was unclear if it would have enough distance to get out.
OZUNA HOMER FOR THE LEAD💣 pic.twitter.com/0iROUyDhOr
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) April 14, 2024
Luckily, the ball kept carrying until it got over the wall for a clutch three-run go-ahead home run. Ronald Acuña Jr. was pumped up as he approached the plate from third base. The entire team was going nuts in the dugout as Marcell rounded the bases. Braves fans in attendance behind the team's dugout were jumping up and down and celebrating. Even announcers C.J. Nitkowski and Brandon Gaudin couldn't believe what they just witnessed.
He was already hitting well but something unlocks when he returns to Miami. Ozuna had seven hits in the series including two doubles, two home runs, and seven RBI. He looked comfortable in almost every at-bat. His homer ended up winning the game for Atlanta and tied him for the MLB lead with seven home runs on the season. He is tied with Tyler O'Neil of the Red Sox.
In addition to leading the majors in RBIs (21) and being tied for the HR lead (7), the #Braves' Marcell Ozuna also leads MLB qualifiers in slugging percentage (.780), ranks third in OPS (1.193) and is tied for fifth in batting average (.373).
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) April 14, 2024
Marcell's 21 RBI on the season is the most in baseball and he doesn't show any signs of slowing down. David O'Brien shared on X that Ozuna leads all qualified MLB batters in slugging, OPS, and carries the fifth-highest batting average. He also carries an insane 213 wRC+ so far.
He has really turned things around after starting the 2023 season off with one of the worst months a hitter could have. However, the Braves and his teammates have stuck behind him the whole way and allowed him to dig out of the trench he found himself in.
This torrid pace could last all season or it could fade at any moment. But, for now, it seems like Marcell Ozuna might be Atlanta's best bat. He will look to carry this success into the Braves next stop in Houston.