First 9 Braves batters make history for Marlins in loss

Pablo Lopez threw just 10 pitches in the first inning for the Marlins.

He struck out Ehire Adrianza and Freddie Freeman with three pitches each. His first ball came against Ozzie Albies, but then he threw three-straight strikes to end the top of the inning.

In the top of the second and with a 3-0 lead, Lopez again used 10 pitches to strike out Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia and Dansby Swanson. He walked off the mound and kept his head calm as he walked to the dugout.

After a 13-pitch third inning, Lopez finally forfeited his first contact ball in the form of Adrianza grounding out.

The next batter, Freeman, hit a double to right field to break up the perfect game. The Braves first baseman was able to end the shutout with Albies connecting for a single. Austin Riley hit a line drive to shortstop Rojas, but then Arcia continued his fine weekend with a single to score Ozzies and make it a 4-2 game.

Lopez’s masterful outing coupled with a tight, possibly injured Ian Anderson performance resulted in the Marlins taking the series finale from the Braves, who lost 7-4 Sunday.

“He is quite the pitcher,” said Anderson, who gave up four runs in less than three innings. “The pitching in this division is pretty ridiculous. It seems like everyday we’re facing a guy that has the ability to do that.”

Nine strikeouts to open the game set an MLB record for the 25-year-old righty. In his six innings of work, Lopez allowed just five hits, three runs and two walks to go with his nine strikeouts on 83 pitches.

Anderson, looking to match the excellence that Lopez displayed in the top half of the first inning, walked Starling Marte and Garrett Cooper after striking out the leadoff Jazz Chisholm.

Pitching coach Rick Kranitz met with his young pitcher on the mound, looking to settle him down.

Credit: Lynne Sladky

Credit: Lynne Sladky

Instead, Jesus Aguilar crushed a three-run homer on the second pitch to give the Marlins an early 3-0 lead. With the bases cleared, Miami looked to keep piling on the opening frame-damage as Jesus Sanchez and Miguel Rojas hit singles. Anderson intentionally walked Joe Panik, but survived the threat with two strikeouts to end the inning.

The 23-year-old Braves pitcher was pulled in the third inning and was credited with four runs, six hits and five walks to outweigh the four strikeouts.

“After I took him out, I asked him how he felt and I don’t know if his shoulder was as good as he was making out,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We’re going to have him looked at probably Tuesday. There may be something going on. As with anything else, we’ll know more (then).”

Snitker suggested that Anderson could spend some time on the IL to rest and heal more before the back stretch of the season.

Anderson hasn’t had any serious shoulder injury before, he said.

“My shoulder was getting a little tight,” Anderson said. “I think we’re going to get it checked out, but it just feels like inflammation. We’ll get it checked out and see what they say.”

Marte kept the pressure on in the bottom of the fifth with a single off of Shane Greene, followed by a Cooper double to score Marte. Aguilar then hit his third RBI of the afternoon.

The Braves again looked to cut into the Marlins lead with Dansby Swanson hitting the first of two Sunday homers in the top of the sixth. Swanson now holds a four-game hitting streak after four RBIs this weekend. His 15th homer of the season came on a no-doubter over the left field wall in the top of the ninth.

“Those are two loud balls he hit today,” Snitker said. “He’s been through as many offensive struggles as anybody, but he keeps hanging in there, taking a professional approach and the consistency everyday. I admire the hell out of that kid. ”With the loss, the Braves fall below .500 heading into this week’s All-Star break. They’ll be back as a team Friday against Tampa Bay to kick off a three-game home series.

Until then, Snitker and the Braves will look to reminisce on the up-and-down first half of the season.

“It was challenging,” Snitker said of the first 89 games. “It was an unbelievable grind. And for all that said, we’re right there. We startup next Friday and we’re a winning streak away from probably pushing the envelope for first (place), quite honestly. I’m proud of the guys. This hasn’t been easy.”