Two right-handers on a roll will match up on Saturday, when the Atlanta Braves play the host Miami Marlins for the middle game of a weekend series.
The Braves, who won Friday’s series opener 7-1, will start Julio Teheran (3-4, 3.28 ERA). Teheran has posted a 0.83 ERA in his last six starts, a span that began against the Marlins on May 5. In that game, Teheran allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out four in six scoreless innings.
In his start prior to facing the Marlins — on April 30 against the San Diego Padres — Teheran allowed three homers. But he has not been taken deep since.
Teheran is 7-6 with a 4.07 ERA in 21 career starts against the Marlins.
Miami will counter Teheran will Trevor Richards (3-5, 3.53 ERA). In his past three starts, Richards is 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA, striking out 19 and walking just four in 17 2/3 innings.
Richards has faced the Braves twice in his career and is 0-0 with a 5.19 ERA.
He has faced Atlanta just once this season, earning a no-decision on May 4, when the Braves won 9-2. Richards pitched 4 1/3 innings scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks.
In Richards’ most recent start, a 9-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday, his efforts were interrupted by a swarm of bees that stopped play for several minutes.
“That was the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Richards said. “I just went in and sat down for a little bit. I just treated it like a new inning except that I only had to get two outs.”
Richards on Saturday will have to face an Atlanta offense led by first baseman Freddie Freeman, center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and second baseman Ozzie Albies.
Freeman, who went 2-for-3 on Friday, has hit a homer in four of the six games Atlanta has played this month. He is hitting .311 with 17 homers and 41 RBIs.
Acuna, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, went 3-for-5 on Friday and is batting .286 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs. He became the eighth player in Braves history to reach 100 career RBIs before turning 22 years old. In 25 career games against the Marlins, he has nine homers and 22 RBIs.
“You are never going to diminish the energy, enthusiasm and zest Ronald plays the game with,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “The fun way he plays the game is infectious. He also has the talent — it’s the whole package.”
Added Freeman when asked about Acuna: “He’s going to be one of the greats to play this game, and I don’t say that lightly. He’s an incredible player. He cares a lot about the game, and he means so much to everyone in this clubhouse.”
Aside from Freeman and Acuna, Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies also starred on Friday, going 3-for-4. Albies, who bats eighth in the Braves lineup, is batting .268.
Miami’s offense was led on Friday by second baseman Starlin Castro, who doubled in the second inning for career hit No. 1,500. Castro, who went 2-for-4, drove in Miami’s only run with a ninth-inning single.
Marlins rookie outfielder Harold Ramirez, who had been red-hot since making his major league debut on May 11, has cooled off. He is in a 0-for-16 slump.