Max Fried, Braves keep Marlins under control

Field Level Media|published: Fri 12th April, 22:06 2024

Apr 12, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. credits: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Max Fried retired the side in order in four of his first five innings, leading the Atlanta Braves to an 8-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Friday night.

Ex- Marlins star Marcell Ozuna led Atlanta's offense, going 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Miami is 0-8 at home this season.

For the Braves, it was a turnaround performance after getting beaten 16-4 by the New York Mets on Thursday.

Fried (1-0), who entered the game with an ugly 18.00 ERA after his first two starts, allowed four hits, one walk and one run with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. He lowered his ERA to 8.74.

Trevor Rogers (0-2) took the loss, allowing eight hits, one walk and two runs with five strikeouts in five innings. Rogers is 0-6 in eight career starts against Atlanta.

Vidal Brujan had a sensational defensive night in his first game playing shortstop for the Marlins. Getting the start because Tim Anderson was ill, Brujan threw out Travis d'Arnaud at the plate in the third inning.

In the fifth inning, Brujan threw out d'Arnaud again — this time at first base after a diving catch in the hole. Brujan was also part of two double plays.

Marlins third baseman Emmanuel Rivera also made a stellar play, throwing d'Arnaud out from his knees in the seventh inning.

Atlanta opened the scoring in the first inning as Ozzie Albies singled and scored on Austin Riley's RBI double down the third-base line.

The Braves put runners on the corner with no outs in the third, but they did not score. That was the inning during which d'Arnaud — who had tough luck all night — was thrown out at the plate.

Atlanta extended its lead to 2-0 in the fifth as Orlando Arcia doubled and scored on Albies' two-out single.

The Braves broke the game open against Miami's bullpen with a five-run seventh. Matt Olson drew a bases-loaded walk, Ozuna knocked in two with a single and Michael Harris II and Arcia had infield RBI hits.

Miami knocked Fried out of the game in the seventh after one-out singles by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Avisail Garcia. Rivera then hit an RBI single off of reliever Pierce Johnson.

Ozuna closed the scoring with his solo homer in the eighth.

—Field Level Media