Max Fried’s walk-off hit Sunday rewarded the Braves an 8-7 victory over the Marlins. It also propelled them past the Nationals for second place in the National League East.
Washington was four-game swept by the surging Dodgers, cooling the Nationals off after their June push. They also lost star lead-off man Kyle Schwarber, who sparked their revival, to a significant hamstring injury. The Braves, meanwhile, completed a 4-2 homestand in which they took series from the first-place Mets and Marlins, who’ve been a thorn in the team’s side this season.
The Braves enter Monday at 40-41, again on the cusp of .500 and again ranking second in the division behind the Mets, who are 43-37 after splitting a doubleheader with the Yankees Sunday. Despite all that’s gone against the Braves, they could easily enter the All-Star break on a high note. They’re beginning a six-game road trip against the Pirates and Marlins, two last place teams, to close the first half.
As the break approaches, the Braves are very much in the thick of the division race, trailing the Mets by four games. The Braves’ next step: Finally earning a winning record. They’ll have another golden opportunity to do just that this week.
Braves Lineup: The AJC presents a daily look at one thing to know about the Atlanta Braves today.
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