MIAMI, FL – The Marlins started off strong by responding to the Braves’ 2-0 start with three runs. However, that lead would come crashing down as Braxton Garrett struggled through a three-inning start and the bullpen faltered in the penultimate frame. The early call to the bullpen, a 1/8 day with RISP, and nine stranded runners caused the Marlins to drop this one 8-4 against the Braves.
Marlins Take Early Lead
The Marlins followed in the first inning with three runs. Xavier Edwards got it started on a bang with a walk-off homer. Having already passed his combined total from the past two seasons last night, Edwards has been displaying his power of late with his sixth one this season.
Bot 1st
Braves 2 | Marlins 1Xavier Edwards, who has already surpassed his home run total from 2024 and 2025 combined, hits a leadoff home run for the #Marlins, his sixth of the season.
Exit Velocity: 101.2 MPH
Launch Angle: 28 Degrees
Home Run Distance: 385 Feet#FightinFish pic.twitter.com/C7xVjX6EWo— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) May 19, 2026
He went yard on the cutter with a speed of 101.2 miles per hour off the bat at a distance of 385 feet. Otto Lopez and Esteury Ruiz reached base and then scored on Kyle Stowers’ fifth double of the season. The double marked his fourth straight game with a hit.
Bot 1st
Braves 2 | Marlins 3Kyle Stowers hits a bases-clearing double to put the #Marlins on top. Both Otto Lopez and Esteury Ruiz score on his fifth double of 2026.#FightinFish pic.twitter.com/xlLQDxtcEu
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) May 19, 2026
In the third, Lopez took a walk and Christopher Morel hit his second double of the season. Ruiz drove in Lopez on a sacrifice fly, making it 4-2 at the time.
Lopez was the only bright side of Miami’s offense overall, going 3/3 with two runs scored. The MLB’s top hitter raised his average to .347.
Braxton Garrett Faces Command Issues
Garrett had a short-lived outing, throwing just 65 pitches in three innings of work. The southpaw finished with a final line of three innings pitched, allowing three hits, two earned runs, and three walks on two strikeouts.
The Braves got off to a 2-0 start in the opening frame after a sac fly from Ozzie Albies and an RBI single from Michael Harris II. The average speed of his fastball was up to 91.9 MPH during the game. His maximum velocity was at 92.9.
The final line for Braxton Garrett:
3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 65 NP (35 Strikes)
Command was a factor in his short outing. He threw just 33% first-pitch strikes.
Hitters whiffed at his pitch selection at a rate of 21%. His ERA "improves" to 14.54. #Marlins pic.twitter.com/8REnlls64j
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) May 19, 2026
He was behind in most counts, throwing first-pitch strikes just 33% of the time. Opposing hitters whiffed at only 21% of his pitches. Garrett relied mostly on his sinker (31%) and fastball (28%).
The sinker was thrown mostly against lefties half the time he faced them, while the four-seamer was used 31% of the time against all right-handers. Braxton Garrett’s spin rate was down from his yearly average, sitting at 2,209. The Braves chased at his outside pitches just 17% of the time.
Bullpen Eats Up Innings
Anthony Bender entered in the fourth, surrendering a run and a hit on Matt Olson’s MLB-leading 16th double. He recorded a strikeout in 1.1 innings. He threw the sweeper 11 times, accounting for half of his total pitches.
Andrew Nardi came into the game with one out in the fifth. He allowed an earned run on Harris II’s solo home run. Nardi got three strikeouts on the fastball in 1.1 innings pitched. The four-seamer was his go-to pitch, being thrown 50% of the time on 10 pitches.
Michael Petersen was called onto the field with two outs in the sixth inning. He allowed two walks on a strikeout in 1.1 innings. His four-seam fastball was used on eight pitches (50%) against Atlanta.
Top 8th
Braves 5 | Marlins 4What looked like a routine groundball play to end the inning for the #Marlins turned into miscommunication and a run scored for the #Braves
Mauricio Dubon reaches base on a fielder's choice pic.twitter.com/3oCqPSK7vg
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) May 19, 2026
Calvin Faucher got tagged with the loss. He only lasted 0.2 innings, surrendering two hits, three runs, and three walks on two strikeouts. Faucher was on the mound for what was ultimately the play of the game.
Mauricio Dubon reached first base on a fielder’s choice. Morel played the groundball but didn’t have any supporting cast at first or second to get what should’ve been a routine out to end the inning. Dubon led Atlanta with three hits.
Olson capped off his three RBI performance with a huge two-run single, making it a 7-4 contest in the eighth inning.
Lake Bachar tossed the final 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and a run on two punchouts. He attacked hitters with the slider, splitter, and four-seamer on most of his pitches. Ha-Seong Kim drove in the final run of the game.
Miami couldn’t respond in the final six innings of the game with any run support. They finished with seven hits.
Final
Braves 8 | Marlins 4– Braxton Garrett has command issues in his three-inning start
– Five players make bullpen appearances
– #Marlins go 1/8 with RISP and strand nine on base
– Otto Lopez, the top hitter in the #MLB, raises his average to .346 in a three hit/two run game— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) May 19, 2026
Experimental Start Time
#Marlins paid attendance today is 7,521
The game had a 4:10 pm start time in hopes to boost workforce and student attendance pic.twitter.com/fcBmI5T0vv
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) May 19, 2026
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