Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Marlins lose
Five-run lead evaporates to 10-9 defeat vs. Braves.
ATLANTA — Even in a year of growing pains, the Marlins have had some losses that sting.
And then there was Sunday afternoon.
On a day that Lewis Brinson hit his first career grand slam and Miguel Rojas recorded his first career multi-homer game, the Marlins’ bullpen collapsed late and the Braves snatched away a 10-9 victory at SunTrust Park.
Brad Ziegler and Tayron Guerrero allowed a combined six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Braves rallied.
Ziegler gave up four of those runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout prompting Marlins manager Don Mattingly to remove him for rookie Tayron Guerrero, who wasn’t much better.
Guerrero couldn’t record his first career save, walking Tyler Flowers, giving up a single to Kurt Suzuki, walking Johan Camargo and then giving up the gamewinning two-run single to left to Dansby Swanson.
The meltdown cost the Marlins (17-29) a chance to take two of three games from the Braves — an outcome that seemed virtually secure after Rojas hit the second of two home runs in the top of the ninth to give Miami a 9-4 edge.
Rojas had not hit more than one home run in a season before 2018 and had only five in his career. The two on Sunday brought his season total to seven.
His first got the Marlins a pair of runs in the seventh after Derek Dietrich reached on a play in which the Braves committed two throwing errors to allow him to advance to third base.
After Atlanta again cut Miami’s lead to four, Rojas hit his second off lefty A.J. Minter in the ninth inning.
Marlins’ reliever Drew Steckenrider continued to struggle against the Braves as he gave up a pair of runs in the bottom half of the seventh.
In12⁄ innings this season against the Braves, Steckenrider has allowed 10 earned runs on five hits and seven walks and allowed two home runs while recording only one strikeout for a 53.89 ERA.
Against all other teams, Steckenrider has pitched 18
innings, allowing three earned runs on 12 hits, three walks and has 27 strikeouts.
The Marlins busted out in the fourth with six runs highlighted by Brinson’s slam as they hit for a cycle as a team in the inning.
Justin Bour recorded his second career triple after Ender Inciarte crashed into the center field wall. Bour then scored on a balk when Teheran dropped the ball on the mound. Starlin Castro followed with a double, Brian Anderson singled and Derek Dietrich walked to load the bases. Miguel Rojas followed with a single to make it 2-0.
Then Brinson crushed a 92.6 mph four-seamer into the second deck in left field — 450 feet according to Statcast — for the first grand slam by a Marlins’ rookie since his teammate, J.T. Realmuto hit one on Aug.12, 2015
Wei-Yin Chen looked sharp for five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit (a single), striking out five and walking one. But once the Braves got their third turn facing Chen, they strung together four consecutive singles to plate a pair of runs and cut Miami’s lead to 6-2. Nick Wittgren shut the door, recording two quick outs.