Marlins snap losing streak with blowout of Braves

Fifteen hits—including a pair of Brian Anderson home runs—fueled the Marlins to an easy win over the Braves Thursday night in the opener of their four-game series.

Dallas Keuchel: 3.2 IP, 10 H, 8 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 3 HR on 82 pitches

Elieser Hernandez: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K on 98 pitches

Calling it a “wire-to-wire” victory wouldn’t be entirely appropriate—Atlanta had a strong scoring opportunity in the top of the first inning with the speedy Ozzie Albies on third base. It took a super-athletic play from Jorge Alfaro to save Elieser Hernandez from a wild pitch and escape the frame with the contest still scoreless.

Hernandez settled down from that point onward, showing perhaps the sharpest and most consistent slider of his young career. The Braves wouldn’t get another hit until Ronald Acuña Jr.’s single in the sixth, and by then, the deficit was insurmountable.

With Isan Díaz getting a rest against the lefty Keuchel, Starlin Castro manned second base. The return to his longtime position put him in the right frame of mind at the plate, too. Castro mashed a two-run homer to put the Marlins up 2-0.

He would later add an RBI double, which marked his first game with multiple extra-base hits since June 4.

Anderson followed Castro with a solo jack and broke the game wide open with another two-run shot in the fourth. Impressive stuff from the prime extension candidate.

Playing in his 162nd career MLB game, Lewis Brinson was the lone Marlins starter held without a hit.

This NL East rivalry has been extremely lopsided since Miami’s rebuild began, so Thursday was a much-needed escape from reality.

Game two of the series features probable starters Julio Teheran and Caleb Smith. Action gets underway at 7:10 p.m. on Friday.

Braves vs. Marlins box score (Baseball Theater)

Fish Picks answer key

1. Marlins
2. Over
3. Under
4. Yes
5. Marlins