Bryce Elder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and the Atlanta Braves backed him up with three home runs to defeat the visiting Miami Marlins 6-3 on Wednesday in the rubber game of their three-game series.
Elder (2-1) allowed four hits and two walks and struck out seven. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 0.77 and ended a personal two-game losing streak against Miami.
The Braves got solo home runs from Ozzie Albies, his fourth, and Austin Riley, his first, and a two-run shot from Matt Olson, his fifth. Atlanta banged out 11 hits.
Raisel Iglesias struck out three, while working a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save.
The losing pitcher was Chris Paddack (0-3), who worked 4 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
The Braves scored twice in the second inning. Albies parked a cutter into the seats in right field. Atlanta added another run when Mauricio Dubon lined an RBI single to drive in Mike Yastrzemski.
Miami loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but could not score. Atlanta shortstop Dubon fielded the grounder, touched third and fired to first base to retired Xavier Edwards, who was originally called safe. The Braves challenged the play, and it was overturned, ending the inning and keeping Miami off the board.
The Braves have turned a double play on the infield in 16 consecutive games dating to March 30. It is the longest active streak in baseball and the longest for Atlanta since a 17-game streak in 1985.
The Braves added a solo homer from Riley to open the sixth, a 402-foot shot into the right field seats. It was the first run allowed this season by reliever John King.
Atlanta put the game away with three runs in the seventh. Drake Baldwin singled in a run. and Olson followed with a 423-foot homer off Andrew Nardi.
Miami got its runs in the eighth inning on a two-run homer by Liam Hicks, his fourth, off reliever Osvaldo Bido. A third run crossed on a Heriberto Hernandez’s fielder’s choice grounder.
