MIAMI (AP) — Nick Markakis drove in three runs with three hits and the Atlanta Braves won for the second consecutive night after losing their first nine games, beating Miami 6-4 on Saturday.
The Braves came to Miami mired in their worst start since 1988, but they're now 27-12 at Marlins Park and will try for a three-game sweep Sunday.
Miami fell to 0-4 at home under first-year manager Don Mattingly.
Markakis put the Braves ahead to stay in the fourth when he drove in a run with his eighth double, most in the majors. He led off the game with a single and hit a two-out, two-run single in the second. He has 12 RBIs, which also ranks among the MLB leaders, and is batting .350.
Adeiny Hechavarria and Justin Bour each hit his first homer off Bud Norris (1-2), who nonetheless earned his first victory since joining the Braves. He allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings, and the Atlanta bullpen shut out Miami the rest of the way.
Hunter Cervenka struck out Dee Gordon with two runners in scoring position to end the seventh. With closer Arodys Vizcaino unavailable because of his workload Friday, Jason Grilli pitched the ninth and earned his first save by striking out Giancarlo Stanton on three pitches with two on to end the game.
Stanton struck out four times and is batting .229.
Tom Koehler (0-2) lasted only 3 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits and six runs. Koehler walked Norris with two out to load the bases in the second inning, and Markakis made him pay for the lapse with a two-run single.
A throwing error by shortstop Hechavarria — his third error this year — led to an unearned run in the third. It scored on a two-out bloop double by Kelly Johnson.
The Braves added three runs in the fourth to chase Koehler. Markakis' RBI double put them ahead 4-3.
Struggling Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman had a run-scoring double and hiked his average to .125. Atlanta went 5 for 11 against Koehler with runners in scoring position.
The Marlins scored three runs in the second on Bour's RBI single and Hechavarria's two-run homer.
TRAINERS ROOM
Braves 2B Gordon Beckham pulled up running out a groundout in the sixth inning and left the game with a strained left hamstring.
STAYING PATIENT
Despite bullpen issues, Miami has resisted the temptation to call up any youngsters from the minors, and Mattingly endorses the patient approach.
"I know they've had a tendency here to always bring guys right away," Mattingly said. "One thing we're trying to do is let those guys develop a little bit, knowing that we're going to need them."
OFF LIMITS
Vizcaino was unavailable after throwing 35 pitches Friday, and he might be unavailable Sunday too, manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 0.00), who threw six shutout innings Tuesday at Washington, will start the series finale Sunday against RHP Jarred Cosart (0-0, 5.79).
