MLB Scores: Marlins 3 Braves 5

The Braves continue their winning ways at Marlins Park, taking the first game of the three game series against the Fish. Giancarlo Stanton would homer twice in this one but the Braves immediately responded in the following inning on both occasions.

In the bottom of the first inning, Dee Gordon smacked one back to Julio Teherán who just got his glove up in time to deflect the ball past him allowing Gordon to reach base. Gordon took second after Teherán attempted a pick-off and made a poor throw to Freddie Freeman. Stanton moved Gordon along to third with a ball hit to the right side and with two outs Marcell Ozuna clubbed one up the middle, splintering his bat in the process and giving the Marlins the 1-0 lead.

In the second, Nick Markakis sliced a single past Adeiny Hechavarria, Todd Cunningham followed with a clean single into centerfield. Cameron Maybin then reached on an Hech bobble and the bases were loaded. Christian Bethancourt check bounced a ball in the infield that David Phelps snagged and flipped to homeplate for the force out on Markakis, but the bases were still loaded for Julio Teherán, who worked an 9 pitch AB against Phelps and eventually laced a clean single right up the middle to bring in Cunningham and Maybin. Bethancourt was called out at third after a Mike Redmond challenge but the damage had been done, 2-1 Braves.

In the bottom of the third Stanton worked a 3-2 count out of Teheran and finally got his pitch, a lower half breaking ball that Stanton launched into left field for a solo blast. Game tied up 2-2.

In the 4th inning Cunningham doubled down the right field line and then Maybin followed with his own double to practically the same spot and the Braves reclaimed the lead, 3-2.

Jumping ahead to the seventh, with one out and no one on, Stanton blasted his second homerun of the game, this one coming off of reliever Cody Martin, The homerun sailed past the centerfield monstrosity and landed inside the centerfield wall camera well, 474 feet estimated. 3-3 tied again.

The Marlins' pen immediately coughed up the lead in the eighth. After Mike Dunn allowed a Markakis double, Brian Cunningham singled off of Bryan Morris with Markakis scoring. Then the Braves pulled off a double steal and pulled another run out of thin air on a strike three, check swing, passed ball that rolled into the Marlins dugout. 5-3 Braves at the end of the frame. The Marlins threatened in the ninth but Jason Grilli was able to secure the save and Braves win.

David Phelps went six innings giving up three runs (one earned), nine hits, eight strikeouts and no walks. As our fearless leader Michael Jong pointed out in the gamethread, it was a confusing game for Phelps, who gave up the most hits and yet also garnered the most K's in a game that he started this year. He probably did enough to secure a spot for himself in the rotation upon Alvarez's rapidly impending return. He also had a single to centerfield, his first in the majors.

Dee Gordon continued his war on baseball history by compiling another three hits, 61 total, behind only HANK AARON for most hits through this point in the season. He ends the night with a .433 average. Giancarlo also padded his RBI lead in the National League with 35.

The Marlins look to get that elusive first win against the Braves at home tomorrow at 1PM EST.

Source: FanGraphs

Attendance: 18,334

Hero of the Game: Giancarlo Stanton (+.378)

Goat of the Game: Bryan Morris (-.307)

Play of the Game: Giancarlo Stanton Homerun #2 (+.241)