Before Freddie Freeman blasted his three-run homerun in the second inning, the All-Star first baseman was an anemic 2-for-44 against Marlins pitching. The homerun by Freeman gave the Braves a 5-0 lead and Braves starter Ervin Santana took it from there winning by a final score of 6-2.

MIA@ATL: Freeman connects for a three-run home run
7/23/14: Freddie Freeman sends a three-run home run to left field, his 14th of the year, to give the Braves a 5-0 lead

This was Santana’s best start in more than a month and it was much needed for the Atlanta squad who was riding a two game skid. Santana pitched 7 1/3 innings tonight, allowing only one run on six hits while striking out eleven. He was able to get ahead in the count all night which set up his wipeout slider that baffled Miami hitters all night. This was Santana’s second time in his last four outings he was able to get to the eighth inning. Braves fans are hoping this is a sign of good things to come for the veteran right-hander.  

Just like Freddie was due some good luck against the Marlins, Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi was due some bad luck against the Braves, who he has feasted on in his career. In nine career starts against the Braves, Eovaldi is 2-1 with a 1.86 ERA. The Braves were due some success and they executed their game plan early in the game to get a comfortable lead.

The onslaught against Eovaldi started in the first inning with a B.J. Upton double on the first pitch. After a Tommy La Stella sacrifice bunt, Upton scored on a sacrifice fly by younger brother Justin Upton. When the second inning rolled around, Andrelton Simmons reached on a one-out single followed by a sacrifice bunt by the pitcher. With two outs B.J. Upton reached on an infield chopper that was softly placed on the third-base side of the pitcher. Tommy La Stella quickly drove in Simmons with a first-pitch single. This turn of events set up the three-run homerun by Freddie Freeman.

The strategy the Braves had against Nathan Eovaldi was swing early. They executed that plan on account of four of their eight total hits.

After the Braves thrashed him for five runs in two innings, Eovaldi settled in quite nicely. The flame-throwing right went on to pitch five shutout innings allowing only one walk and one hit-by-pitch.

The lone run for the Marlins came in the third inning. It started with a leadoff walk to Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The eighth place hitter Adeiny Hechavarria followed with a single but was thrown out by Jason Heyward at second base. Santana then committed a cardinal sin and walked the pitcher. So with runners at first and third, leadoff hitter Christian Yelich drove in the Marlins only run with a single to right field. Ervin Santana was bailed out of the inning forcing a 6-4-3 double play to get out of potential big inning that could have changed the entire landscape of the game.

Gerald Laird tacked on an insurance run in the 8th inning with a soft single to center field scoring Jason Heyward, who made a great play to avoid a tag in a run down at third base in the previous at-bat.

Rookie left-hander Chasen Shreve finished the game for the Braves in the ninth bringing the Braves back within one game of the first-place Washington Nationals in the National League Eastern Division. With an off day for the Nationals tomorrow, the Braves have an opportunity to gain another half-game in the division.

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About the author
Parker White
Sports journalist from Midlothian, Virginia. Co-editor and writer for the NBA and MLB sections at VAVEL USA. Follow me on Twitter @spudwhite1022