Rookie Drake Baldwin had two hits, including a three-run home run, and Grant Holmes threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings to help the visiting Atlanta Braves post a 7-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
Holmes (4-6) allowed five hits, walked five and struck out five for Atlanta, which has won eight of 11 following a seven-game losing streak to begin June. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna each tallied a pair of hits and an RBI as the Braves evened the three-game series.
Eury Perez (0-2) allowed three runs on four hits across 4 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking two in his third start of the season. Eric Wagaman and Jesus Sanchez each recorded a double for the Marlins, who have lost three of four.
After Acuna worked a four-pitch walk to open the game, Ozuna drove in the first run on a two-out RBI double to right.
Atlanta doubled its lead in the fifth as Nick Allen singled and Acuna followed with a run-scoring double to left. Perez got Matt Olson to ground out, ending his start after 89 pitches. Lake Bachar came on in relief, allowing Austin Riley’s RBI single that extended the Braves’ lead to 3-0.
Miami threatened in the bottom of the fifth as Dane Myers’ one-out single and consecutive two-out walks by Xavier Edwards and Sanchez loaded the bases, but Holmes struck out Agustin Ramirez to end the inning.
After issuing a two-out walk to Liam Hicks in the sixth, Holmes was relieved by Enyel De Los Santos, who retired Connor Norby on a groundout.
The Braves tacked on a run in the eighth as singles by Baldwin and Eli White were followed by Michael Harris II’s RBI groundout against reliever Josh Simpson, who was making his major league debut.
The game was blown open in the ninth as Simpson walked Acuna and Ozuna before Baldwin connected on his eighth homer to extend Atlanta’s lead to 7-0.
–Field Level Media
