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Braves hope to keep rolling in Miami

Apr 10, 2013 - 2:35 PM (Sports Network) - Young right-hander Alex Sanabia makes his second start of 2013 on Wednesday night when the Miami Marlins try to end a prolonged season- opening skid in the finale of a three- game series with the Atlanta Braves.

The Marlins fell to just 1-7 on the season in Tuesday's second game, when Atlanta's Kris Medlen tossed seven strong innings of one-run ball in the Braves' 3-2 win.

Medlen (1-1) surrendered an unearned run on three hits and two walks for the Braves, who have won five in a row and at 7-1 are off to their best start since 2007.

Atlanta had won 23 consecutive Medlen starts during the regular season until he yielded two runs on six hits and four walks over five frames in the Braves' 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.

"I made some better pitches," Medlen said.

Evan Gattis smacked a two-run homer and Justin Upton added an RBI double in the victory.

Wade LeBlanc (0-2) allowed two runs on six hits and a walk over six frames for Miami, which has dropped 16 of its last 19 contests against Atlanta.

"We just have to keep grinding," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.

Sanabia, who won't turn 25 until September, was a 32nd-round pick of the Marlins in 2006 and debuted in the majors in 2010 with five wins in eight decisions across 15 appearances.

He pitched 11 innings in two starts - three appearances - a year later, then was out of the majors for 2012 before returning for his 2013 debut on April 5, which ended in a 7-5 defeat of the New York Mets.

Sanabia allowed six hits in six scoreless innings while walking three and striking out one.

He's faced the Braves three times in his initial 19 big-league outings and has posted a 3.86 earned run average against them in 16 1/3 innings.

Sanabia's opposed by lefty Mike Minor, who'll also be looking for a second win in as many 2013 starts.

The Tennessee native pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Chicago Cubs on April 5 and emerged with a 4-1 win that was the 20th of his big-league career.

Minor won 11 games in 30 starts with the Braves last season while posting a 4.12 ERA in a career-high 179 1/3 innings of work.

He last faced the Marlins on Aug. 2, 2012, and got a no-decision after allowing two hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of a 6-1 Atlanta win.

The Braves won 14 of 18 games between the teams in 2012, including seven of nine in Miami.