Braves bounce back with 6-5 win over Marlins

The Braves were looking to bounce back from a 10-4 loss in the first game of this three-game series on Monday night. Starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez was looking to rebound from a five-game suspension following a fight in Los Angeles a week earlier.

A 6-5 win is one way to not once bounce back, and keep the series non-loss streak alive.

“To have a good season, you have to win games like this,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said after the game. “We stole one tonight.”

Miami started the game by scoring runs in both the first and second innings of the game. Ahead 4-0, the Marlins’ starter for the evening, Max Meyer, allowed the Braves to dig back into the game when Dom Smith drove in Ozzie Albies for the Braves’ first run of the game.

Atlanta pulled within a run following a third inning where Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson each doubled to drive in runs. While the Braves’ offense heated up, Lopez steadied himself after the rough start and started striking out Marlins batters. Through five innings of work, Lopez had six strikeouts, allowed two walks, and gave up three earned runs. His final three innings of work were nearly perfect.

Dylan Lee came on in relief and continued the strikeout streak, picking up two in the sixth inning. Tyler Kinley followed him on the mound in the seventh, and other than giving up a single to Javier Sanoja, worked a scoreless inning of his own. That bullpen magic stopped when Ribert Suraez came on to pitch in the eighth inning with the Marlins ahead 4-3, and proceeded to give up three consecutive singles, the last being down the right field line for an RBI by Otto Lopez.

Dom Smith continued his strong run of play this season, but he couldn’t get a rally started all by himself. He opened the seventh inning with a single, and after advancing to second on a fielder’s choice, was left there by Michael Harris II, Mauricio Dubon, and Ronald Acuna, Jr.

He would get another chance at the plate in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and the Braves down 5-3. Smith fought off several pitches from Marlins pitcher Pete Fairbanks before doubling off the center field wall and driving in three runs. The score was 6-5 Braves heading into the ninth.

The Braves and Marlins will finish the series on Wednesday night. Then Atlanta will start a 7-game road trip in Philadelphia and Washington, before returning to Truist Park to host the Phillies and Detroit Tigers.

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