Field Level Media
May 10, 2018
Ozzie Albies hit his first career grand slam as part of a seven-run sixth inning and Freddie Freeman posted a career-high five-hit game, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 9-2 win over the host Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly was not at the game due to a death in the family. Tim Wallach managed the Marlins, but Mattingly is expected back on Friday.
The Braves have won eight straight road games. Albies' homer was his 11th this season, and he finished with five RBIs.
Freeman hit a two-run homer in the sixth. It was the sixth homer of the season for Freeman, who finished 5-for-5 with two RBIs.
Ender Inciarte went 3-for-5 for Atlanta.
Mike Foltynewicz (3-2) earned the win, allowing three hits, two walks and one run (unearned).
Miami starter Caleb Smith (2-4) took the loss, allowing seven hits, two walks and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five. In his previous three starts, Smith had a 0.99 ERA with 26 strikeouts and just two walks.
On Thursday, Marlins reliever Drew Steckenrider, who entered with a 1.08 ERA in 17 appearances, took the brunt of Atlanta's sixth-inning barrage. He got just one out, allowing two walks, two homers and six runs. His ERA rose to 4.24.
Atlanta opened the scoring in the second. Nick Markakis singled, advanced on Inciarte's double and scored on Jose Bautista's groundout.
The Braves loaded the bases in the fifth inning but failed to score when Markakis flew out to shallow left-center.
Miami tied the score in the bottom of the inning as Lewis Brinson reached on a throwing error by shortstop Johan Camargo, advanced on Smith's sacrifice bunt and scored on Martin Prado's opposite-field single.
The Braves then broke the game open in the sixth, and all seven runs scored with two outs. Inciarte started the rally with a one-out single. That brought in Steckenrider, and the Braves pounced with two walks, one intentional, and Albies' slam.
Ronald Acuna kept the rally going with a single, and Freeman homered. And after Markakis singled and Kurt Suzuki walked, Inciarte capped the inning with an RBI double.
Both teams scored in the ninth to close out the game.Albies stroked an RBI single, and Brinson hit a solo homer.
--Field Level Media