It’s the continuation of a series on the diamond down in South Beach between a pair of NL East teams. The Atlanta Braves are on the road as they play the third game of a four-game set and the second game of a doubleheader with the Miami Marlins Saturday night. Atlanta swept a two-game interleague set on the road against Boston as they won the finale 8-4 Wednesday night in their previous contest. Miami avoided a sweep at the hands of the Phillies on the road as they prevailed 3-0 in the finale of the set Thursday afternoon. This article was published prior to the conclusion of Friday’s series opener and the first game of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon at LoanDepot Park.
Atlanta swept their two-game set from Boston on the road as they bounced back from losing four of five to the Mets over the weekend. The Braves entered Friday second in the NL East race, seven games behind the Mets for the top spot in the division. In the NL wild card picture, they own the top spot and stood five games clear of the Brewers to remain on the right side of the cut line. On Wednesday, Atlanta got two hits from Dansby Swanson (RBI), William Contreras (run) and Vaughn Grissom (two runs, two RBI) in the contest. Marcell Ozuna (his 20th) and Grissom (his first) each homered in the victory. Kyle Wright (14-5) earned the win as he tossed six innings, allowing one run on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
Spencer Strider is slated to take the hill for the Braves as he makes his 25th appearance and 14th start of the year in this contest. He comes in 6-4 with a 3.11 ERA, a 1.048 WHIP, 34 walks and 138 strikeouts over 89.2 innings of work this season. Strider took the loss in his last start, which came on the road against the Mets Sunday. He threw 2.2 innings allowing five runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts in a 5-2 Atlanta defeat. In his last three starts, Strider is 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, four walks and 24 strikeouts over 15.1 innings of work. Strider makes his third career appearance and first start against the Marlins in this contest. He has put together a 0-1 record with a 27.00 ERA, a 6.00 WHIP, two walks and no strikeouts over one inning in those contests. Strider didn’t factor in the decision in his lone career appearance at LoanDepot Park, which came in relief on May 22. He threw a scoreless inning, allowing two hits with no walks or strikeouts in a 5-3 Braves triumph.