MIAMI (AP) — Austin Riley and Dominic Smith hit three-run home runs, Chris Sale allowed just one run and struck out eight over seven innings, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 9-1 on Wednesday night.
Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II singled twice and Ronald Acuña Jr added a base hit for the NL-leading Braves.
Sale (7-3) limited the Marlins to four hits and picked up his seventh win after losing his previous two starts. The 2024 Cy Young
winner had not beaten Miami in three career starts entering Wednesday, previously going 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA.
Sale settled in after allowing a leadoff walk to Xavier Edwards — who scored for a 1-0 lead on Heriberto Hernández's sacrifice fly. The left-hander did not allow a hit his final three innings.
Riley gave the Braves a 3-1 lead with a 415-foot drive off Janson Junk's first-pitch sweeper, the third baseman's first hit after starting the series 0 for 8.
Junk (2-5) retired 11 straight after Riley's home run before Acuña's leadoff single in the sixth, followed by consecutive base hits by Harris, Matt Olson and Albies to stretch the lead to 5-1.
Smith put the game out of reach with his 389-foot shot to center that ended a 12-pitch at-bat. Junk was lifted after allowing eight hits and striking out three over five innings.
Smith reached again in the eighth with a drive to center. Esteury Ruiz dropped the ball after a collision with right fielder Owen Caissie, which allowed Smith to reach third. He then raced home on Ruiz's throwing error.
Riley drew the first walk of the game against Tyler Phillips in the eighth.
Pinch-hitter Eli White, who returned Wednesday from concussion protocol, doubled in the ninth against position player Javier Sanoja.
Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.45 ERA) starts Thursday's series finale against Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.53).
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