Acuña reaches base 4 times and Braves beat Marlins 7-0

MIAMI (AP) – Ronald Acuña Jr. had two hits, walked twice and drove in a run as the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 7-0 on Saturday.

Drake Baldwin homered while Marcell Ozuna hit an RBI double and singled for the Braves, who have won seven of nine after falling to a season-low 10 games under .500 on June 10.

Braves starter Grant Holmes (4-6) overcame control problems and pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up five hits while walking five and striking out five. Enyel De Los Santos, Dylan Lee and Rafael Montero completed the shutout.

Acuña, the 2023 NL MVP, has reached safely in 25 of 26 games since being reinstated from the injured list on May 23.

Atlanta struck quickly against Miami starter Eury Pérez (0-2) with Ozuna’s run-scoring double in the first. Acuña drew a leadoff walk then raced home from first when Ozuna hit a line drive to the right-field corner.

Acuña’s RBI double and Austin Riley’s run-scoring single in the fifth made it 3-0. Baldwin broke it open with a three-run drive off Marlins reliever Josh Simpson in the ninth.

Pérez gave up three runs and four hits while striking out six in 4 2/3 innings in the right-hander’s third start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024.

Before the game, the Braves placed reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale on the 15-day injured list because of a fractured left rib cage.

After Holmes walked three to load the bases with two outs in the fifth, he struck out Agustín Ramírez to end the threat.

Acuña has reached safely multiple times in 11 straight games.

RHP Bryce Elder (2-3, 4.45 ERA) will start the series finale for the Braves on Sunday against Marlins RHP Sandy Alcántara (3-8, 6.88).