MIAMI (AP) — Bryce Elder outpitched NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara by throwing seven innings of three-hit ball and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 6-0 on Tuesday night.
Ozzie Albies homered and doubled, while Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled, drove in a run and stole his NL-leading 14th base for the Braves. Acuña played a day after sustaining a bruised left shoulder when he was plunked by a 93 mph fastball in the second game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets.
Elder (3-0) struck out six and induced 10 groundouts in his longest start of the season.
Alcantara (1-3) has a 7.40 ERA and lost three of his four starts since throwing a complete game shutout against Minnesota on April 4.
The Braves chased Alcantara after five innings and 103 pitches. Alcantara gave up three runs, six hits, walked three, struck out five and hit two batters.
Albies gave the Braves an early lead with his solo shot in the second. He drove Alcantara’s fastball over the wall in right for his eighth homer.
Atlanta loaded the bases with no out in the third before Eddie Rosario grounded into a double play that scored Matt Olson from third.
Rosario’s two-out RBI single in the fifth made it 3-0.
Acuña hit a sacrifice fly and Austin Riley and Sean Murphy had consecutive walks with the bases loaded against Miami reliever Johan Quezada in the eight to pad Atlanta’s lead.
Kirby Yates and Joe Jimenez followed Elder and each pitched one inning.
BUILDING UP THE PITCH COUNT
Olson helped cut Alcantara’s outing with two lengthy plate appearances. In the first, Olson fouled off four consecutive pitches before striking out on the ninth pitch. Olson then worked out of a 1-2 count in the fifth and drew a walk by forcing Alcantara to throw 10 pitches.
ROSTER MOVE
The Marlins placed OF Avisaíl García on the 15-day injured and recalled INF Xavier Edwards from Triple-A Jacksonville. Edwards pinch hit in the ninth and flew out to center.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: RHP Raisel Iglesias (right shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to throw again in the next couple days after two rehab outings with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Marlins: RHP Johnny Cueto (right biceps tightness) will throw in a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday. … INF Garrett Cooper is still dealing with nausea after exiting in the fourth inning of the series finale against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Kyle Wright (0-1, 4.86) will start the second game of the series Wednesday against Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (1-0, 2.45).
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