National League Game Summary - Atlanta at Miami
(Wednesday, July 25th)
Final Score: Atlanta 7, Miami 1
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Juan Francisco smoked a two-run home run and
finished with three RBI as the Atlanta Braves thumped the Miami Marlins, 7-1,
in the finale of a three-game series Wednesday.
Michael Bourn clubbed a two-run home run and Jason Heyward added a solo shot
for the Braves, who took two of three in this series. Freddie Freeman
contributed an RBI single in the win.
"That's what we got him for," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Francisco.
"To give Chipper (Jones) a day off every once in a while. I think between both
of them they're in the high teens in home runs. That's a nice number to get
from the corner spot."
Tommy Hanson (11-5) struggled with his control, walking seven hitters, but
allowed just one run on three hits over five innings to pick up the victory.
Kris Medlen and Jonny Venters finished off the rout for Atlanta.
Justin Ruggiano knocked in the only run of the day for a Marlins team that
continued to shakeup their roster on Wednesday morning by trading star
infielder Hanley Ramirez and reliever Randy Choate to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in exchange for pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough.
With Ramirez headed to the West Coast, Donovan Solano got the start at third
base and went 0-for-1 with a run scored and three walks.
Ricky Nolasco (8-9) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on eight
hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 5 1/3 frames.
"I made a few mistakes and gave up two-run homers," Nolasco said. "That was
the game. Two balls that came back over the plate. Obviously I didn't want to
do that, they just cut on me."
After stranding runners in scoring position in each of their first two at-
bats, the Marlins finally cracked the scoreboard in the third to grab an early
lead. Solano drew a one-out walk and swiped second before scoring on a double
down the left-field line by Ruggiano.
Atlanta went ahead for good with three runs in the fourth. Heyward smoked a
one-out double over the head of Ruggiano in center and scored on a single by
Freeman. Francisco then waited on a changeup from Nolasco and yanked it into
the right-field seats for his eighth long ball of the season.
Paul Janish began the Braves fifth with a base hit and Bourn got a middle-in
fastball two batters later and turned on it, sending it deep into the seats in
right, extending the lead to 5-1.
Brian McCann opened the sixth with a single into right, moved to second
on a groundout by Freeman and scored via a Francisco base hit back through the
box to make it 6-1.
Facing Marlins reliever Wade LeBlanc in the eighth, Heyward capped the scoring
when he got a high fastball and muscled it the other way over the wall in left
field.
Game Notes
While with the Marlins, Ramirez was the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year and 2009 NL
batting champion but has fallen on hard times this season, batting .246 with
14 homers and 48 RBI while playing third base...Atlanta leads the season
series between the teams, 6-2..Nolasco has lost his last three starts...Jones
and second baseman Dan Uggla were both given the day off...Miami stole seven
bases, which was the most in a single game by any team this season and the
most by the Marlins since 2002.
07/25 17:58:25 ET

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