Marlins blow early lead again in 7-2 loss to Braves
ATLANTA (AP) The National League's worst team keeps beating the Miami Marlins.
That's no mystery to Marlins manager Don Mattingly. He said he keeps seeing the same losing formula repeated against the Braves.
The Marlins blew a 2-0 lead for the second straight day, falling to the Braves 7-2 on Saturday to remain winless against Atlanta this season.
The Braves are 5-0 against the Marlins and 9-34 against all other teams. Atlanta swept a three-game series at Miami on April 15-17.
''This was the same game we've played against them pretty much,'' Mattingly said. ''We get a little lead early and don't do anything the rest of the day.''
The Marlins committed three errors, including two by center fielder Marcell Ozuna.
Atlanta took the lead by scoring three runs in the sixth off Jose Urena (1-1). Gordon Beckham hit a three-run homer off Edwin Jackson after Jackson walked two batters in the seventh.
The Braves improved to a still-dismal 4-20 at Turner Field by winning the first two games of the three-game series to secure their first home series win.
''You have to win games, you don't just get games,'' Mattingly said. ''And we didn't deserve to win. We didn't play good enough to win. We didn't score enough to win. We didn't stop them. You don't deserve to win if you don't do enough to win.''
Miami left-hander Wei-Yin Chen allowed one run on two hits and one walk while throwing 90 pitches in five innings. The high pitch count led to his early exit.
''When Don told me, I was kind of surprised but he told me that he's trying to protect me because I had a very long fourth inning,'' Chen said. ''But for me, I still felt good, I was ready to go out and pitch the sixth inning.''
Atlanta, which began the day tied with Minnesota for the worst record in the majors, is 5-6 under interim manager Brian Snitker.
Eric O'Flaherty (1-3) recorded two outs after rookie Aaron Blair, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Miami led 2-1 in the sixth when, with two runners on base, Markakis hit a single off Urena that bounced past Ozuna for an error. Markakis raced to third, and Freddie Freeman and Tyler Flowers scored. Jeff Francoeur doubled in Markakis for a 4-2 lead.
STILL STREAKING
Ozuna singled off Chris Withrow with two outs in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He is hitting .487 (19 for 39) during the streak and .341 for the season.
FENDER BENDER
SS Chase d'Arnaud was scratched from the Braves' original lineup after he was involved in a traffic accident on the way to Turner Field. D'Arnaud was not injured but was shaken by the accident, according to Snitker. Daniel Castro started at shortstop, and d'Arnaud was a defensive replacement at third base in the seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: OF Christian Yelich (back spasms) missed his eighth straight start. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, his second straight game being used as a pinch-hitter. ... OF Giancarlo Stanton (right side soreness) missed his fourth straight game.
Braves: SS Erick Aybar was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised right foot. He was hurt when hit by a pitch from Miami's Adam Conley in Friday night's game. X-rays were negative. Aybar said his foot stiffened and became swollen overnight.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (2-5, 4.79), who has a 5.00 ERA in five May starts, will try for his first win of the month when he faces the Braves in Sunday's final game of the weekend series. He is 2-5 with a 3.82 ERA in 15 career appearances against Atlanta, including 11 starts.
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran, only 1-4 despite a 2.57 ERA, will try for his second win on Sunday. He is 1-1 with a 2.59 ERA in four career starts against Miami.