ATLANTA – Travis d’Arnaud hit his fifth home run in four games and Bryce Elder pitched 6 2/3 spotless innings in his return from the minors as the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 3-0 on Monday night.
David Fletcher capped a three-run fourth with an RBI single to help the Braves win for the seventh time in eight games.
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Recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier in the day, Elder (1-0) scattered eight hits in his first major league start this season. The right-hander struck out four and walked none.
“It says a lot about him,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “The dedication, the focus — everything. When we sent him down, he said, ‘I’ll be ready when you need me.’ And he was. He had really good command of all of his pitches. We’ve seen him do that before.”
Elder was picked for the NL All-Star team last year, when he made 31 starts for Atlanta and finished 12-4 with a 3.81 ERA. But he struggled in the second half, got hit hard in his lone playoff appearance against Philadelphia and began the 2024 season in the minors.
“I was upset at first,” Elder said about not making the big league club out of spring training. “I think that’s always going to be the reaction. But I have to realize I’m still 24 and I’m planning on playing this game for a long, long time.”
Pierce Johnson got one out and A.J. Minter pitched the eighth. Raisel Iglesias worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in seven chances, finishing an eight-hitter that marked Atlanta’s first shutout of the season.
Ryan Weathers (2-2) gave up three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked three.
In the fourth, d’Arnaud launched a two-run homer to open the scoring. He hit three home runs Friday, another on Saturday and one on Monday — all in a span of eight at-bats.
“It’s wild. I don’t know how to explain it. I’m just going to keep riding this wave,” d’Arnaud said.
The catcher added a single Monday, after his previous five hits were home runs.
Ronald Acuña Jr. singled and stole second in the first inning, his 190th career steal. That set an Atlanta-era record for the Braves, surpassing Rafael Furcal. Herman Long holds the franchise mark with 434.
Elder gave up three hits in the first inning, but some poor baserunning by Luis Arraez cost the Marlins a run. Elder ended the second and sixth with double plays as he kept all nine Marlins baserunners he allowed from scoring.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: RHP JT Chargois threw 10 pitches for Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday and is scheduled to pitch again Tuesday. He is recovering from neck spasms. ... LHP Braxton Barrett (left shoulder impingement) threw a bullpen Sunday and will throw another one in the next few days. ... C Christian Bethancourt (viral illness) is with the team and is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Wednesday.
Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies took batting practice for the first time since breaking his toe and appears to be on track to return Friday when he is eligible to come off the IL.
UP NEXT
Braves LHP Max Fried (1-0, 7.71 ERA) will face Marlins LHP Trevor Rogers (0-2, 3.92) in the middle game of the series Tuesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB