Monte Harrison homers, but offense flat otherwise as Miami Marlins fall to Braves
Daniel Castano kept the Miami Marlins in the game. Monte Harrison breathed life into the offense.
But Adam Duvall had the last laugh.
Duvall’s go-ahead home run against Brandon Kintzler in the ninth inning lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 win over the Marlins on Saturday to even the three-game series. The series finale is set for a 1:10 p.m. start on Sunday with Miami’s Elieser Hernandez (0-0, 2.79 ERA) facing Atlanta’s Robbie Erlin (0-0, 9.00 ERA).
Lewin Diaz, the 10th Marlins player to make his MLB debut this season, roped a pinch-hit, two-out single through the left side in the ninth before Matt Joyce hit a fly ball to deep center field for the final out of the game.
Despite the loss, the Marlins (9-5, .643 win percentage) still has a sizable edge over the Braves (12-10, .545 win percentage) for the National League East lead.
Nevertheless, it spoiled the moment for Harrison, the Marlins’ 10th-ranked prospect who broke the Marlins’ shutout by hitting his first career MLB home run to lead off the eighth inning. He sent a 91 mph fastball from Braves reliever Will Smith 403 feet into the grass just beyond the wall in right-center field.
“It got us back in the game. It was getting late. That run ties it up,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “... I’m sure it felt great. It should have. You hope that keeps pushing ahead his confidence.”
Harrison added: “I was just trying to get something good to hit. ... I definitely felt confident. That home run, it’s a great moment, but we didn’t win the game.”
It spoiled the moment for Castano, who had a stellar second start in his MLB career. The 25-year-old held the Braves to four hits and one run and two walks over six-plus innings.
His one miscue, in poetic fashion: Giving up a leadoff solo home run in the seventh to Marcell Ozuna, whose trade to the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2018 brought Castano (as well as Sandy Alcantara, Magneuris Sierra and Zac Gallen) into the Marlins organization.
Up to that point, though, Castano had given up just three hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts. He only allowed two runners to get into scoring position (Freddie Freeman with a first-inning double and Adeiny Hechavarria with a sixth-inning double). His defense behind him turned two double plays, including right fielder Jon Berti making a running and diving grab to rob Austin Riley of a hit and double up Johan Camargo at first base.
It was marked improvement from Castano’s debut, during which he gave up five runs (four earned) over 4 1/3 in a road loss to the Mets.
“You take that outing from [Castano],” Mattingly said. “knowing that you’re going to find a way to score. You give up one run through eight, you’re feeling good.”
But until Harrison’s solo home run, the Marlins’ offense did little to support its pitching.
Braves starting pitcher Max Fried held Miami to four hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings before turning the game to his bullpen.
The Marlins’ best scoring chances early came in the sixth and seventh.
Jonathan Villar reached second base on a throwing error to lead off the sixth but was caught trying to steal third with one out. Francisco Cervelli grounded out to Dansby Swanson at shortstop to end the inning.
In the seventh, Brian Anderson led off with a walk and Lewis Brinson hit a one-out single — his second hit of the game after going 0 for 12 to start the season — to chase Fried and put runners on first and second. Matt Joyce hit into a fielder’s choice and Eddy Alvarez struck out against Shane Greene to strand two on base.
