The Miami Marlins come into the final series before the All-Star break with one goal: Slow down the Atlanta offense.
The Braves will send veteran right-hander Julio Teheran (5-6, 3.99 ERA) against Miami right-handed rookie Jordan Yamamoto (3-0, 2.35) in the opening game of the three-game series at Atlanta’s SunTrust Park on Friday.
The Braves hit five home runs on Thursday night in a 12-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. It gives Atlanta 140 homers and ties the franchise record set by the 2003 Braves for the most homers prior to the All-Star break.
The Braves have five players with at least 15 home runs: Freddie Freeman (23), Ronald Acuna Jr. (20), Josh Donaldson (17), Dansby Swanson (17) and Austin Riley (15). Ozzie Albies has 14.
“I kind of expected that after watching these guys in spring training,” Donaldson said. “I didn’t know Austin would come up here and do what he’s doing. I hadn’t got a chance to see him play. But the kid has a lot of potential and, obviously, a lot of power.”
The Braves have scored 482 runs, second most in team history before the break. The record of 506 set by the 2003 club is within reach. The Braves have scored at least five runs in an inning nine times, six of those at home, and are 9-0 in those games.
Teheran is 8-6 with a 3.89 ERA in 22 career starts against the Marlins. He will make his third start against Miami this season; he’s 1-0 and has yet to allow the Marlins to score a run. In 12 innings, he has given up four hits and three walks while striking out nine.
Teheran pitched only 3 1/3 innings in his most recent start, against the New York Mets on June 29, after rain interrupted the game. He gave up two runs in the abbreviated start, which was an improvement over his two previous outings — both losses — in which he allowed 13 runs over eight innings.
Yamamoto is one of Miami’s promising young pitchers. The 23-year-old right-hander was called up from Double-A Jacksonville on June 12 and has been impressive in four starts. He debuted with two seven-inning shutout stints, with both victories against the St. Louis Cardinals. He became the first pitcher since at least 1908 to begin his career by allowing no runs and three or fewer hits in consecutive starts of at least seven innings.
Yamamoto received a no-decision in his most recent start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 29. He gave up a season-high four runs over four innings, his shortest stint since being promoted.
“It’s one of those things a kid can only dream about,” Yamamoto said. “It just worked out perfectly in my favor. It’s one of those things; it’s easy to pitch when you have the lead, and it’s easy to pitch when you trust everybody on the field.”
Miami is trying to change its luck against the Braves. Atlanta is 8-1 against the Marlins this season after winning 14 of 19 in 2018.
The Marlins have lost four straight and were swept by Washington in a three-game series, losing 5-2 on Thursday. Atlanta has won two in a row and increased its lead in the National League East to six games over Washington.