Marlins 4 - 0 Braves
Final
  for this game

Braves go for series win versus Marlins

Aug 30, 2014 - 12:41 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Atlanta Braves eye another series win when they continue a three-game set versus the Miami Marlins Saturday at Turner Field.

The Braves haven't lost a series since dropping three of four matchups with Los Angeles from Aug. 11-14, and handed the Marlins a 5-2 setback Friday night behind a late rally in the sixth and seventh innings.

Justin Upton hit a two-run homer in the sixth, while Jason Heyward and Upton provided RBI singles in the seventh inning.

"I was in there trying to be aggressive and make something happen," said Upton on his home run.

David Carpenter picked up the win in relief of starter Ervin Santana, who held the Marlins to a run in six innings with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Atlanta has won three in a row and 10 of the last 14 games, and is one game off the second wild card spot in the National League. It is also six games behind Washington for NL East bragging rights.

The Braves will hand Aaron Harang the ball Saturday and he is 10-8 with a 3.60 earned run average. The veteran Harang has lost two of his past three starts and lasted 5 1/3 innings in Sunday's 5-3 setback at Cincinnati, where he gave up four runs and eight hits.

Harang, a right-hander, has been reached for three runs (12 total) or more over his last three appearances and will make his 18th career start against the Marlins. He has a 5-5 record and a 5.99 ERA in the first 17 starts in this series.

Miami has lost three straight and is 2-5 on a nine-game road trip. Marlins starter Tom Koehler gave up two runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts across six frames Friday, while Chris Hatcher suffered the loss.

"You don't want to say you have to play mistake-free baseball," Koehler said. "But every mistake right now is going to be magnified, because we're playing for something. I'm not going to sit here and say, 'Oh, we lost today, now we're out of it, we're done.' As we've shown all year, we're going to come back tomorrow and keep battling."

Jordany Valdespin homered and Marcell Ozuna ended with three hits and an RBI for the Marlins, who are six games off a wild card berth and lost a series opener for the first time since July 31 versus Cincinnati.

Jarred Cosart makes his fifth start with the Marlins Saturday and is 2-1 with a 2.08 earned run average. Cosart previously toed the rubber in Monday's 7-1 win over the LA Angels and allowed one run over 7 2/3 innings. He has given up one run in each of his last two outings.

Cosart won his only start against the Braves on June 26 as a member of the Houston Astros and hurled seven innings of one-run ball in a 6-1 triumph.

Miami and Atlanta have split 14 meetings this season.






Related News