Atlanta @ Florida preview
Sun Life Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2010 ) Atlanta 2, Florida 0
Thanks to Jair Jurrjens, the Atlanta Braves maintained their hold on first place in the National League East. Now they're counting on a young rookie to help them remain on top.
Mike Minor makes his fifth career start today as the Braves take on the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium in the rubber game of their three-game series.
With its lead over Philadelphia in the NL East reduced to one game, Atlanta used a strong effort by Jurrjens on Saturday to stay in front. The right-hander scattered three hits over seven innings, walking three and striking out seven as the Braves posted a 2-0 victory.
The win was the fourth in a row and seventh in eight decisions for Jurrjens, who posted his first win in 10 starts on the road this season.
Alex Gonzalez drove in both runs for Atlanta, opening the scoring in the second inning with a double and closing it with a two-out single in the sixth - the club's only hit in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Today, the Braves put their hopes in Minor, who is 3-0 in four major league starts.
Minor has yet to allow more than three earned runs in a game but also has not pitched more than six innings. After tying the franchise record for strikeouts by a rookie with 12 against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 22, the 22-year-old allowed two runs and seven hits in five frames Tuesday en route to a 9-2 triumph over the New York Mets.
In two road outings, the left-handed Minor is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.
The Marlins, who had won three in a row, will counter with a rookie of their own in Alex Sanabia.
Sanabia, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Wednesday, is 3-1 in his last eight starts. The loss came on Monday, when he yielded four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings as Florida dropped a 9-3 decision to Washington.
The right-hander will be facing the Braves for the second time this year. On July 23, Sanabia allowed just one run and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings but did not figure in the decision of a 7-6 victory. In that game, Martin Prado went 2-for-3 with a solo home run against Sanabia.
Sanabia will be making his eighth major league start.
The Marlins, who have won six of their last nine home games, fell 10 games behind the Braves in the division with Saturday's setback.