Braves score five in fifth to beat Marlins in series opener

Marlins starter Trevor Richards, a rookie All-Star, was removed from the game after a double, walk, hit by pitch and infielder Ehire Adrianza’s single that scored the Braves’ first run. Miami turned to Zach Thompson with the bases loaded, but after striking out second baseman Ozzie Albies, Soler got the best of Thompson. Miami’s first of two errors in the frame allowed the Braves to pad their lead.

2. Even those who lauded the Soler addition July 30 probably didn’t see this coming. He was hitting .193 with the Royals, and while he’d shown signs of life lately, Soler was never a player who hit for average.

In Atlanta, he’s looked reborn during the pennant race. He entered the night hitting .286 with the Braves. He’s cut his strikeout rate from 31% in Kansas City to 23% as a Brave. He has 10 home runs and 21 RBIs in 36 games with his new club, helping push the Braves into first place in the division.

“Hitting in front of a guy like (first baseman Freddie Freeman), you’re forced to throw more pitches in the zone; I’ve been trying to take advantage of that,” Soler said via team interpreter Franco Garcia. “I’ve been looking for good pitches to drive. I’ve been focusing on waiting for those good pitches up in the zone. If anything is too low or out of the zone, I’m trying to lay off them.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

3. Since returning from shoulder inflammation, Braves starter Ian Anderson logged 8-2/3 innings across two starts without recording a strikeout. He notched his first of nine strikeouts Friday during the second at-bat of the game, fanning Jazz Chisholm on a change-up.

“It was definitely nice to get that (first strikeout),” Anderson said. “I was joking with a couple guys that I hadn’t had one in a while so they might pile up hopefully soon. It was nice to feel like myself again tonight and throw the ball the way I did.”

Anderson allowed two runs in the first – a homer by Jesus Sanchez – and nothing more over five innings. It was a marked improvement over his previous outing at Coors Field, when Anderson surrendered four runs, including two homers, in three innings.

“You can’t (compare the starts),” Snitker said. “It was so much better. It was total polar opposite from the start in Colorado. Everything. Just the look on his face, the stuff. After the first inning, he settled in. That was a really, really good and big outing for him. He should feel really good about that.”

4. Shortstop Dansby Swanson rested Friday. Veteran Orlando Arcia started at shortstop, going 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Swanson had played in each of the Braves’ 139 games entering the day, starting all but one of them.

Swanson had scuffled at the plate lately. He hit .118 (3-for-30) in his last 10 games, so the Braves will hope he benefits from some rare rest.

“He didn’t ask (for a break),” Snitker said. “I talked to him, plead my case for him. He’d have played today. The biggest thing, I’m glad we could give him a total day off. I didn’t have to use him, which was perfect. … He’ll be ready to go (Saturday).”

5. The Phillies’ easy on-paper schedule means nothing when they can’t take advantage of it. They were walloped 11-2 at home by the Rockies on Friday, their second consecutive loss to Colorado, which was 18-50 on the road before two wins in Philadelphia.

The Braves moved to 4-1/2 games ahead of the Phillies with 22 games remaining. The third-place Mets stayed five games back after defeating the Yankees.

Stat to know

9-2 (Since dropping their first five of six against Miami, the Braves are 9-2 against the Marlins.)

Quotable

“We don’t get many of those. I don’t remember us scoring many runs or keeping innings going on misplays (by the opponent). It just doesn’t happen a lot.” – Snitker on Miami’s two errors in the fifth inning

Up next

The Braves and Marlins continue their series Saturday when Charlie Morton (13-5, 3.47) faces Elieser Hernandez (1-1, 3.90).