Marlins bullpen loses lead, Braves get 1st win
MIAMI (AP) -- Wei-Yin Chen took a three-run lead into the seventh inning Friday. It wasn't enough, not even against the winless Atlanta Braves.
Adonis Garcia drove in three runs in the final three innings and the Braves rallied for their first victory after nine consecutive losses, beating the Miami Marlins 6-3.
The Braves managed just one hit in the first six innings and appeared on the verge of falling to 0-10, which would have matched the worst start in franchise history in 1988. Chen faced the minimum until the seventh.
"I felt very good the first few innings, and that's why I tried to do the same job in the seventh," Chen said through a translator. "Obviously I didn't. In the seventh maybe I was trying to be too perfect."
The Braves' comeback began with three consecutive hits in the seventh to send Chen packing. Nick Markakis' RBI single in the eighth made it 3-all, and Garcia's two-run double put the Braves ahead.
David Phelps (2-1) allowed two runs in one inning and was part of a meltdown by the Marlins' bullpen, which hit two batters in a four-run eighth.
"It was one of those games," manager Don Mattingly said. "We didn't get the outs that we needed."
Christian Yelich had three hits for Miami to raise his average to .429.
Marlins newcomer Chen, making his second start of the year, allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings. Chen hadn't pitched since opening day, when he was hit on the throwing elbow by a comebacker but stayed in the game.
The Marlins, starting a seven-game homestand, fell to 0-3 this year at home. The Braves improved to 26-12 at Marlins Park.
Miami stranded 13 and went 4 for 16 with runners in scoring position.
Alexi Ogando (1-0) pitched two innings. Ogando and four other relievers combined for 4 2-3 scoreless innings.
"It's almost like a playoff win for us," first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "You hate to say it was almost a must win, but it was almost a must win."
Freeman singled and scored while hiking his average to .107.
Miami's Marcell Ozuna had three hits, but struck out with the bases loaded against Arodys Vizcaino to end the eighth. Vizcaino went 1 1-3 innings and retired J.T. Realmuto on a groundout with two on in the ninth to earn the save.
Even though Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez's pitching changes worked, he second-guessed himself afterward, saying he asked too much from Vizcaino.
"I'm not real happy about my usage of the bullpen," he said. "I don't like putting players in positions where they might hurt themselves, and Vizcaino throwing 35 pitches doesn't sit well with me."
Braves starter Williams Perez allowed eight hits and three runs in 4 1-3 innings. After two starts he has an ERA of 7.00.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: LHP Mike Dunn, who is on the DL with a strained left forearm, said he underwent a second MRI that reconfirmed the initial diagnosis of inflammation. "It's just a matter of giving it rest," Dunn said. There is no timetable yet for him to begin throwing.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Bud Norris (0-2, 6.00) is scheduled to face RHP Tom Koehler (0-1, 2.84) on Saturday. Norris has a 6.18 ERA in five career starts against Miami.
