 was sharp despite not pitching since Sept. 25, allowing three hits and walking two with a career-high seven strikeouts. A. J. Minter, Jacob Webb and Shane Greene finished the five-hitter to give the Braves four shutouts in five playoff games.They're the second team in history to throw four shutouts in the first five playoff games, joining the 1905 New York Giants.Travis d'Arnaud doubled twice, with the first one driving in two runs in Atlanta's big third inning. The veteran catcher, who bounced around three teams in a tough 2019, helped steady Atlanta's young starters, was 6 for 10 with three doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs in the sweep.The Marlins, who lost 105 games last season, were the feel-good story of this postseason after overcoming a coronavirus outbreak to reach the postseason for the first time since 2003. With a front office led by Derek Jeter and and a dugout headed by manager Don Mattingly, they entered confident after sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round. But the young team was overwhelmed and lost a playoff series for the first time after entering 7-0 with titles in 1997 and 2003.Rookie Sixto Sanchez (0-1) walked Ronald Acuna Jr. to start the third, and Acuna stole second before advancing to third on a single by Freddie Freeman. Marcell Ozuna laced a single that scored Acuna.D'Arnaud knocked a double off the bullpen in right-center to send two home and extend the lead to 3-0. The Braves tacked on another run on a sacrifice fly by Dansby Swanson.Sanchez, who threw five scoreless frames in Game 2 of the wild card, was done after that inning, allowing four hits and runs with three walks as he tied his shortest outing of the season.The Marlins had a chance to cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning when they loaded the bases with two outs. But Jazz Chisholm grounded out to end the threat.It was a theme throughout the day for Miami, which went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.Atlanta added a run in the fourth when Acuna scored from first after centerfielder Magneuris Sierra committed an error on a single by Freeman.The Braves continued to pour it on in the fifth when Swanson had an RBI single and Adam Duvall sent him home with a double to make it 7-0.Atlanta's win overshadowed a terrific catch by Corey Dickerson in the second that helped Sanchez escape a bases-loaded with no outs jam. Sanchez struck out Adam Duvall for the first out before Dickerson dived to catch a ball hit by Nick Markakis just before it hit the grass that likely saved multiple runs from scoring.Dickerson's catch came a day after Markakis made a perfect throw to pick Dickerson off at second in the eighth inning of Game 2.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Marlins angle to avoid NLDS sweep against BravesHaving suffered losses against Atlanta's top two starters, the Miami Marlins get a crack at the Braves' questionable pitching depth in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Thursday afternoon in Houston.Right-hander Kyle Wright (0-0) will get first shot at earning the second-seeded Braves a spot in the NL Championship Series when he opposes Marlins righty Sixto Sanchez (1-0) with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.Home runs have been the driving force in Atlanta's 9-5 and 2-0 wins, with Dansby Swanson and Travis d'Arnaud belting one in each contest after Ronald Acuna Jr. got the ball rolling with a leadoff shot in Game 1.Home runs have not been the Braves' friend with Wright pitching this season, especially against the sixth-seeded Marlins.The 25-year-old, who has never pitched in the postseason, went just 2-4 with a 5.21 ERA in eight regular-season starts that could equally be divided into hot and cold categories.Wright started four wins, during which he allowed just five earned runs and 16 hits, including a pair of home runs, in 22 1/3 innings.In his four losses, he was crushed for 19 hits and 17 runs in just 15 2/3 innings, serving up five homers.His two starts against Miami in the regular season both fit in the latter category. In 8-2 and 8-0 defeats, he was roughed up for nine hits, including three homers, and eight runs in seven innings.In his career, Wright has gone 0-2 with a 6.92 ERA against Miami in three starts, during which he has never retired Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro, who has gone 4-for-4 with two homers and two singles.Garrett Cooper and Matt Joyce also homered off Wright this season.With his team having produced most of the power in the series for two games, Braves coach Brian Snitker noted after Wednesday's win that it's equally important to keep the opponent in the ballpark as it is to hit your own homers."My experience in the postseason is it's hard to bunch hits together. The pitching is too good," he said. "Power is something that plays in the postseason." Sanchez (1-0) pitched twice against the Braves in the regular season. The Marlins split those decisions, with Sanchez allowing seven hits and four runs in nine combined innings (1-0, 4.00 ERA). He went head-to-head with Wright in the 8-0 Miami win at Atlanta on Sept. 8.The 22-year-old rookie didn't allow a homer in either of those games, nor did he give up a run of any kind in five innings in a 2-0 win that eliminated the Chicago Cubs last week.Marlins coach Don Mattingly praised his Game 2 starter, Pablo Lopez, for his effort on Wednesday, and hopes Sanchez can avoid the few mistakes that spelled the difference between win and loss."These guys have a lot of good hitters," he noted. "You miss your spots ... Sometimes you get away with it, sometimes you don't." --Field Level Media
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