Miami @ Atlanta preview
Truist Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2021 ) Atlanta 11, Miami 9
The Miami Marlins will try to continue to exert influence on the National League East pennant race, even though they are no longer in contention, when they begin a three-game series in Atlanta on Friday.
The Marlins (59-81) just finished winning two of three games against the New York Mets, who are trying to hang in the race they led for much of the season. Miami has won four of its last five series, three of them against playoff contenders.
Miami's next target is Atlanta (74-65), which just won two of three from the last-place Washington Nationals. The Braves have a 3½ game lead over Philadelphia and a five-game lead over the Mets.
"Don't think I wasn't watching the scoreboard," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "I was watching both those games. To fight and win a game like we did (a 7-6 decision over Washington) is good."
Atlanta and Miami have had a very competitive series this season. The Braves are 9-7 against the Marlins; three of the games have gone to extra innings and seven have been decided by one run.
Miami infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. on Thursday became the team's second rookie to have 15 homers and 16 steals, joining Hanley Ramirez. His eighth-inning blast proved to be the game-winner against the Mets on Thursday.
"Jazz is always trying to do something and he seems to have a little flair for the dramatic," Miami manager Don Mattingly said. "I'm not sure I've seen a ball go further than that in this building. That ball was stomped on."
Atlanta's Adam Duvall, the league's RBI leader, is one short of reaching 100. His career high is 103, which he reached while playing for Cincinnati in 2016. He hit his career-best 34th home run on Thursday.
The starting pitchers for the opening game of the series features Miami left-hander Trevor Rogers (7-6, 2.52 ERA) against Atlanta right-hander Ian Anderson (6-5, 3.61).
Rogers will make his 22nd start of the season. He has held opponents to three or fewer runs in a club-record 22 straight starts dating back to 2020. In his last outing against Philadelphia on Sept. 4, Rogers allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Rogers is 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in three career starts against the Braves. He has faced Atlanta twice this season, most recently on July 10 when he took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, over four innings.
Anderson received no decision in his last start against Colorado on Sept. 4. He pitched three innings and allowed four runs and failed to fan a batter for the second consecutive start.
His last start against Miami came on July 11. Anderson took the loss when he was knocked out after allowing four runs in 2 1/3 innings. That effort caused the Braves to put him on the 10-day injured list for shoulder soreness and he didn't return until Aug. 29.
The Braves may be without backup catcher Stephen Vogt, who hit a pair of home runs on Thursday but left the game in the seventh inning with an apparent hip injury sustained while trying to field a wild pitch.
--Field Level Media