Bryce Elder Shut Down Miami and the Braves' Bats Made It a Runaway: 3 Home Runs, One Rubber Match Win

The Atlanta Braves just showed the Miami Marlins what happens when your pitching is locked in and your lineup is swinging it. Bryce Elder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and the Braves muscled three home runs to put away the Marlins 6-3 Wednesday in the rubber game of their three-game series at Truist Park. This was Elder's statement: he's 2-1 now, his ERA dropped to 0.77, and he just snapped a personal two-game losing streak against Miami. The man was untouchable, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Three Different Guys Found the Seats

Ozzie Albies went deep for his fourth home run of the season, Autin Riley connected for his first, and Matt Olson crushed a two-run shot (his fifth). The Braves battered out 11 hits total, which tells you everything about the offensive firepower on display. Atlanta scored twice in the second when Albies parked a cutter into the right field seats, and then Mauricio Dubon lined an RBI single to drive in Mike Yastrzemski and extend the lead. Riley added a solo 402-foot bomb to open the sixth, and Olson put it away with a 423-foot blast in the seventh as part of a three-run inning that included a run-scoring single from Drake Baldwin.

Defense Stepped Up When It Mattered Most

The Marlins loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and looked dangerous, but Dubon fielded a grounder, touched second, and fired to first to retire Xavier Edwards. The play was originally ruled safe, but the Braves challenged it, and the umpire overturned the call to end the threat. It fits the bigger picture: Atlanta has turned a double play on the infield in 16 consecutive games dating back to March 30, the longest active streak in baseball and the longest for the Braves since a 17-game streak in 1985.

Chris Paddack took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Miami scored three runs in the eighth on a two-run homer from Liam Hicks (his fourth) and a fielder's choice grounder from Heriberto Hernandez. Raisel Iglesias closed out the win with a scoreless ninth and his fourth save of the year.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.