Miami @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2013 ) Miami 1, Atlanta 2
The Atlanta Braves have benefited from solid pitching all season and few teams have struggled against it as much recently as the Miami Marlins. Atlanta, which will continue its three-game home set against Miami on Saturday, owns the best record in the majors (82-52) in part because of its league-best 3.15 ERA. The Braves – winners of five straight – have fared even better on the mound over their last 17 meetings against the Marlins, going 13-4 with a 1.83 ERA.
Atlanta is a league-best 48-18 at home and will attempt to build upon its 37-20 mark in the National League East against Miami, which has dropped nine of 10. The Marlins’ league-worst offense has scored only 18 runs over that stretch and is batting .174 during its five-game losing streak, including 5-for-42 with runners in scoring position. Miami will be hard-pressed to stop its losing ways with Jacob Turner, who is 0-7 in 12 career road starts despite a 3.57 ERA.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jacob Turner (3-5, 3.12 ERA) vs. Braves LH Mike Minor (13-5, 2.99)
Turner, who is 0-4 with a 4.09 ERA since the All-Star break, took the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) and six hits over 5 2/3 innings in Sunday’s 4-3 home setback against Colorado. The No. 9 overall selection in the 2009 draft hasn’t exceeded six frames in any of his August starts after doing so six times over his first 11 outings. Turner defeated the Braves with seven strong innings on July 10, but gave up five runs (four earned) in a loss at Atlanta on Aug. 9.
Benefitting from three extra days of rest, Minor collected the win in Sunday’s 5-2 victory at St. Louis after yielding one run on six hits over seven frames. The Braves had planned to skip the 25-year-old following a rough outing on Aug. 17, but he was called upon after Brandon Beachy was scratched with an elbow injury. Minor will square off with the Marlins for the fifth time this season, hoping to build upon his 2-1 record and 3.24 ERA against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami has scored three or fewer runs in nine straight games.
2. The Braves optioned C Evan Gattis to Triple-A Gwinnett after Friday’s game.
3. The Marlins have drawn 39 walks over their last 11 games, but none of those runners have come around to score – one shy of matching the team record.
PREDICTION: Braves 5, Marlins 2