MIAMI -- Down by four runs in the ninth with a series win already in the books, it wouldn't be surprising if the Braves rolled over on the final three outs to head back to Atlanta for a 10-game homestand.
But the postseason hopeful Braves don't think that way, as Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a game-tying homer in a four-run ninth and Matt Joyce drove in the go-ahead run in the 12th in a 7-6 win over the Marlins on Sunday at Marlins Park.
The Braves have scored 113 runs in frames seven through nine this season -- their most in a three-inning stretch -- and they have 12 comeback victories
"I feel like the team comes out swinging and fighting from the first pitch," said Acuna, whose 14th dinger of the season cleared the left-center-field wall. "We always have that mentality. You can't control what happens between the first pitch and last out, but I feel like the team fights every moment of the game until the 27th out is recorded."
Atlanta finished its road trip 4-2 to improve to a season-best seven games over .500, and the Braves are winners of 18 of 27. The club's homestand will include matchups against National League East rivals New York and Philadelphia, which sits one game ahead of the Braves in the standings.
"I think it's huge. The Marlins were playing really exceptional baseball the last series, the last week, so to come in here and sweep them is huge," said Joyce, who collected three hits in his first start since May 22. "Obviously, for our division and for our confidence and momentum to keep rolling, I think the team is playing great, man. It's been really fun to watch, fun to be a part of. It was pretty cool to battle back tonight and steal that one from them late."
Here are three takeaways from the series:
Coming through in the clutch
Atlanta entered Sunday 7-for-53 (.132) with runners in scoring position during the road trip, with a .128 BABIP. That mark won't cut it in close ballgames, especially for a contending team.
Earlier in the weekend, Freddie Freeman stated that he likes to look at those struggles in a different light: It means that guys are reaching and putting traffic on the bases, and sooner or later a hit will come.
Prior to the four-run ninth, it was more of the same for the Braves with missed opportunities in the sixth and seventh. That changed in the later frames.
Acuna's ninth-inning blast came with two men on, and Joyce singled to left with runners at the corners and one out in the 12th for the go-ahead knock. In the 10th, four straight batters walked with two outs against right-hander Tyler Kinley, culminating in Charlie Culberson’s free pass.
"It’s not like it’s a new thing anymore," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It’s who they are, how they’re wired. They kind of just feed off each other, and as the situation gets closer, I think they get a good feeling as a team.”
Rotation finding a rhythm
With the inconsistencies of right-handers Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman, the Braves signed veteran Dallas Keuchel to bolster their rather inexperienced starting staff.
But the 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner won't be available to join the Braves until June 17, so Atlanta needs those already on the roster to step up.
Rookie Mike Soroka and right-hander Julio Teheran took care of business in the first two games, giving up one combined run in 14 innings. After serving up a leadoff homer on Sunday, lefty Max Fried kept the Marlins off the scoreboard again until a two-run fifth.
"That was the closest I felt to the beginning of the year where I felt in rhythm. My tempo was a lot better and I was able to work down," said Fried, who walked one and struck out seven in six innings. "Slider was really working well today, and my changeup felt like a pretty good pitch, too. I felt like it was a good stepping stone to build off of."
Defense is a pitcher's best friend
Though the Braves entered Sunday 15th in the Majors in Defensive Runs Saved and 22nd in Ultimate Zone Rating, the infield put on a show over the weekend.
On Saturday with runners at the corners and two outs in the eighth, third baseman Josh Donaldson scooped Brian Anderson's slow roller and threw to first to prevent the tying run from scoring in an eventual 1-0 win. In Friday's victory, shortstop Dansby Swanson made a diving catch in the air for the final out of the third, stranding a runner at second.
Ozzie Albies, who recorded eight DRS and 6.7 UZR in 2018, hasn't been on that same pace so far in '19. But you couldn't tell that from Sunday's game.
With runners at the corners and two outs in the fifth, Anderson skipped a ball off the mound that Albies snagged on a bounce behind second base before throwing across his body to first. It kept the deficit at two runs for Atlanta and likely allowed Fried to pitch the sixth.
"Ozzie made a couple of really nice plays for me," Fried said. "It's almost like a repeat, but the one up the middle he got Anderson on, that's special. You can't teach it. That's 100 percent instincts going after the ball and just trying to make a play."
Joyce, starting in right field in place of Nick Markakis, got in on the action by executing a perfect relay with Albies to throw out Miguel Rojas trying to stretch a double into a triple with the Marlins ahead, 5-1, in the eighth.
Both of those plays turned out to be crucial in Atlanta's win, as it kept the game within reach with one swing of the bat.
"He's been phenomenal," Joyce said of Albies' defense. "I was yelling at him, 'That's Gold Glove-caliber.' It really is. He's been a stud over there at second and really fun to watch."