FRIDAYS’ GAME
Where: Marlins Park, Miami
When: 7:10 p.m.
TV/Radio: SPSO/680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers: Braves RH Julio Teheran (3-1, 4.74) vs. RH David Phelps (2-0, 2.90)
What's new: The Braves return to Miami a different team than the one that got off to a 5-0 start that included three wins at Marlins Park. The Braves have lost 15 of their last 22, including five of six on this road trip to fall one-half game behind the Marlins into fourth place in the NL East. The Marlins have won seven of their past nine games at Marlins Park, where they have hit .271 compared to .264 on the road, and posted a 3.71 ERA compared to 4.47 on the road. This is the Braves' first look at Phelps as a starter. He gave up two hits in 2/3 of an inning in relief on April 7. Phelps was traded along with Martin Prado from the Yankees last winter. Outfielder Todd Cunningham was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett and will join the Braves in Miami. He'll replace Kelly Johnson, who was put on the 15-day disabled list after straining an oblique muscle swinging in his first at-bat Wednesday night in Cincinnati.
-Carroll Rogers
ON THE BEAT
Going yard
The Marlins flew back from the West Coast on Wednesday night, meaning they were airborn almost as long as Giancarlo Stanton’s titantic home run out of Dodgers Stadium the night before.
Stanton turned on 85-mph cutter from Mike Bolsinger and the ball traveled an estimated 475 feet before bouncing off the roof of the left-field pavilion. The website BaseballSavant.com estimated its exit velocity at 114 mph.
That’s not close to the longest shot at Chavez Ravine. Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell sent a shot 506 feet over the right-field pavilion in 1969. This sort of thing doesn’t happen too often. Players who have hit the ball out of Dodger Stadium:
1. Willie Stargell 1969
2. Willie Stargell 1973
3. Mike Piazza 1997
4. Mark McGwire 1999
5. Giancarlo Stanton 2015
He said it
“The days you want to play him, you could play him in center and put (Eric Young) in left. Or if you want to play (Cameron) Maybin in center, you could put EY or (Todd) Cunningham in left field. But he (Cunningham) has been swinging the bat good. Hitting (.291).”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, on the role of outfielder Todd Cunningham, who reports to the team Friday night from Triple-A Gwinnett.
By the numbers
9
Home runs allowed by Braves left-hander Eric Stults in just 7 starts. Last year with the Padres, he gave up a career-high 26 homers in 32 starts.
.115
Miami outfielder Christian Yelich’s batting average over the past seven games: 3-for-26 with 11 strikeouts.
Upcoming
Saturday: at Marlins, 1:10
Sunday: at Marlins, 1:10
Monday: Off
Tuesday: vs. Rays, 7:10
Wednesday: vs. Rays, 7:10
Thursday: vs. Milwaukee, 7:10
