Braves support rookie’s debut with 19 hits, thrash Marlins, 11-6

ATLANTA — Ronald Acuna Jr. wasn’t surprised to see another member of the Braves’ 20-year-old club win his first start for Atlanta.

Kolby Allard, supported by a 19-hit attack that included three home runs, won his major league debut and the Braves beat the Miami Marlins 11-6 on Tuesday night.

“We started together in rookie ball, so I’ve seen him pitch since then,” said Acuna, who hit one of the Braves’ three homers. “It was just as I expected. He’s a great pitcher.”

Allard (1-0), a 2015 firstround draft pick, said he didn’t have his best stuff. He allowed five runs , four earned, on nine hits and two walks in five-plus innings.

“I went out there and battled,” Allard said.

Braves manager Brian Snitker said Allard “didn’t look overwhelmed” and wasn’t affected by rain that delayed the start of the game by 1 hour, 27 minutes.

Luke Jackson pitched three perfect relief innings with four strikeouts.

Kurt Suzuki hit a threerun double in Atlanta’s fiverun fourth.

Acuna drove in two runs with three hits, including a leadoff homer in the first. Nick Markakis added a tworun homer and Johan Camargo also homered.

Ender Inciarte had four hits and Freddie Freeman had three with an RBI as Atlanta tied its season high for hits.

The Braves, who have won three straight, remained one-half game behind first-place Philadelphia in the NL East.

J.T. Realmuto homered in the fifth off Allard , who was pulled after giving up three straight hits , including a run-scoring single by Magneuris Sierra, to open the sixth. Sierra drove in two runs with three hits.

Allard singled in his first major league at-bat after collecting only one hit in 39 at-bats in his minor league career.

Dan Straily (4-5) allowed eight runs, five earned, on 11 hits in 3 2⁄3 innings.