Bryce Elder didn’t give the Marlins much of anything on Wednesday, and the Braves kept rolling right along with him.
Atlanta’s right-hander blanked Miami across seven innings of one-hit ball, and the Braves rode that effort to a 4-1 victory that pushed their winning streak to a season-high seven games. The win also gave Atlanta a 7-2 edge over Miami this season and stretched its run of success against the Marlins to five straight.
Elder, now 8-6, was making the 100th start of his career and turned in one of his most efficient outings of the year. He worked seven-plus innings for the fourth time this season, allowing one run on one hit and two walks while striking out three on just 84 pitches.
The Marlins did not solve him in their two meetings with Atlanta this season, either. Across those starts, Elder has allowed one run and five hits over 12 2/3 innings.
The Braves gave him room to work early. They scored three times in the second inning, starting with Austin Riley’s ground-rule double to left that brought in the first run. Drake Baldwin then came through with a two-run single to center, a welcome swing for a hitter who had been stuck in a 1-for-20 slump.
Atlanta added another in the third. Michael Harris II doubled to left and came around when Mauricio Dubon punched an opposite-field single to right.
Miami’s only run came in the fifth. Owen Caissie drew a walk, Jakob Marsee followed with the Marlins’ first hit of the game, a double that sent Caissie to third, and Joe Mack grounded out to second to bring Caissie home.
The Marlins made things interesting in the eighth. Back-to-back singles by Javier Sanoja and Xavier Edwards off Dylan Dodd put the tying run at the plate, but Dodd got Kyle Stowers to fly out. Didier Fuentes then stepped in and retired Otto Lopez on a one-pitch groundout to end the threat.
Fuentes stayed on for the ninth and finished the job with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two to earn his second save.
Eury Perez took the loss for Miami, falling to 5-9 after allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings. He matched his season high with nine strikeouts and dropped to 0-3 in his career against Atlanta.
In Other News...
Marlins Suddenly Face A Tough Owen Caissie Decision
After dropping the opener of their series against the Los Angeles Angels, the Marlins are still sorting through the kind of midseason lineup question that can quickly turn into a bigger issue. Owen Caissie has been part of that conversation after a difficult stretch at the plate in August, a slump that has left the team looking for a way to get him back on track without letting the skid linger too long.
Manager Clayton McCullough has reasons to be patient, but the clock on an offensive reset is always moving in a place like Miami, where every at-bat can shape the next decision. A breather may be part of the answer, and a more drastic move is at least on the table, but the larger concern is straightforward: Caissie needs to find his swing again before this starts to affect more than one roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Agustn Ramrez Could Be Heading Into A Bigger Marlins Role
The Marlins latest roster move opened the door for Agustn Ramrez to take on more than just the catching duties he has handled since arriving in the organization in 2024. Miami recalled Ramrez after trading Liam Hicks to the Rays, and the shift came with a clear message from president of baseball operations Peter Bendix: the club wants Ramrez to become more than a one-position option and add another layer of versatility to the lineup.
That expansion is starting with work at first base, a step that could help Ramrez grow into a broader role as the season moves along. The Marlins have liked his bat enough to keep finding ways to fit him in, and Hicks departure creates a practical opening for Ramrez to absorb some of the same responsibilities while continuing to develop behind the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Keep Paying For One Costly Habit In Close Games
The Marlins had the kind of night that has become too familiar in tight games: plenty of traffic on the bases, more hits than the opponent, and not enough to show for it when the final chance arrived. They out-hit the Angels, but leaving 13 runners on base made the missed opportunities hard to ignore, especially with the game still in reach deep into the ninth.
Miami has been one of the major league leaders in outs made on the bases this season, and this one fit the same frustrating pattern. Manager Clayton McCullough still endorsed the aggressive approach, even with the late out at the plate, which leaves the Marlins balancing the value of pressure with the cost of coming up empty in a game they could have stolen. [Read more 🡒]