Pitching boosting Braves with chance to win series at Marlins
June 22 - The visiting Atlanta Braves have an opportunity to post their fourth consecutive series win on Sunday afternoon against the Miami Marlins.
After beginning June with seven straight losses, the Braves have won eight of 11 games, including a 7-0 victory over Miami on Saturday. Starter Grant Holmes and three Atlanta relievers combined to record the club's fifth shutout of the season -- and second of Miami in four meetings this year -- to lower the team's ERA to 3.65.
Atlanta will need continued success from its staff after placing reigning National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale on the 15-day injured list. Sale, who fractured his ribs diving for a grounder in a victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday, owns the NL's third-best ERA at 2.52.
"It's just a freak thing, an unfortunate thing," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "With bones like that, they've got to heal before you can start the process, but I have no idea how long it will be."
Holmes, who threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Miami on Saturday, echoed his manager's thoughts.
"It's a big blow, but we're going to come to the ballpark and try to put some W's on the board every day," Holmes said. "He's a very big part of this team. Having Chris Sale in the clubhouse speaks for itself. He's a great leader. A great teammate. A great friend."
Bryce Elder (2-4, 4.45 ERA) will make his 12th start of the season after being skipped over last time in the rotation. Elder hasn't pitched since June 13, when he allowed four runs over 3 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies. The Braves won 12-4.
Elder has faced the Marlins more than any other team over his four-year career, compiling a 2-2 record with a 2.89 ERA in 46 2/3 innings over eight career starts against Miami.
The Marlins dropped their third game in four outings on Saturday, while being shut out for the sixth time this year. In defeat, Miami saw its second-largest home crowd of the season with an attendance of 21,198. Manager Clayton McCollough hopes that spills into Sunday as the Marlins look for their first series win over Atlanta since September 2023.
"It was great to have some buzz in the stadium," McCollough said. "It's unfortunate the final score looks the way it is, but I felt like it was a game where it was one swing of the bat from flipping some. But it was a great atmosphere in LoanDepot (park) and hope for more of those to come."
Miami's starter on Sunday, Sandy Alcantara (3-8, 6.88), is still looking to find his NL Cy Young form after winning the award in 2022 before missing all of last year following Tommy John surgery.
Alcantara is 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA through three starts in June after posting a 9.28 ERA in April and an 8.64 ERA in May. The 29-year-old right-hander allowed two runs in five innings on Monday in a 5-2 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
He is 4-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 82 2/3 innings over 13 career starts against the Braves.
--Field Level Media
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