ATLANTA — The Miami Marlins’ playoff hopes remain very much alive. Their slim chance to win the National League East, however, is officially over.
Behind a five-RBI, two-home run night from former Marlins All-Star Marcell Ozuna and five home runs overall, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Marlins, 11-1, on Tuesday at Truist Park to clinch their third consecutive division title and 15th overall in franchise history.
The Braves, at 33-22, have a five-game lead over the Marlins (28-27) with five games left in the regular season for both clubs. The best Miami could do is tie the Braves at the end of the season if Miami won all five of its final games and Atlanta closed the season with an 0-5 run. Atlanta, however, is guaranteed to own the tiebreaker between the two teams for best record among division opponents, so the Braves would have the edge even if everything worked in Miami’s favor over the final five days.
Jose Urena, the longest-tenured player on the Marlins’ roster, gave up four runs over his six innings of work. Ozuna and Ozzie Albies hit solo home runs in the first and second innings, respectively. Ozuna then drove in Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman with a double off the right-field wall in the fourth. He added his second home run of the game in the eighth off Brett Eibner.
Swanson added a solo home run and Freeman followed with a two-run homer off reliever Nick Vincent as part of a five-run seventh inning.
Starling Marte hit a solo home run for the Marlins in the sixth to avoid the shutout. Miami had a chance to cut into their deficit with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth, but Lewis Brinson struck out and Brian Anderson lined into a double play. Braves spot starter Bryse Wilson, who had thrown 7 2/3 innings this season and came into the game with a 7.04 ERA, held the Marlins scoreless over the first five innings before Atlanta went to its bullpen.
The best Miami can do now is secure second place in the division, which guarantees a playoff spot this year.
MLB expanded the playoff field for the 2020 season, with 16 total teams advancing to the postseason instead of the usual ten. The top two teams in each division plus the next two teams in each league advance. Every team plays in a best-of-3 wild-card round to begin the postseason, with the top four seeds in each league (the three division winners and the division runner up with the best record) hosting at their home ballparks before moving to hub cities. The runner-up in the NL West will be the No. 4 seed, so the Marlins will start the postseason on the road should they advance.
At the end of Tuesday’s games, Miami held a one-and-a-half game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for second place in the division. The Phillies were swept in a doubleheader with the Washington Nationals and are 27-29 on the season. Philadelphia has one more game against Washington on Wednesday and then closes the season with three games against the Tampa Bay Rays.
While the Marlins are focused on the task in front of them, which is winning their games and securing their postseason ticket by their play on the field, Marlins manager Don Mattingly noted that he is keeping up to date with what is happening in games around the league.
“This time of year, it’s only natural that you’re watching all the teams that are involved,” Mattingly said pregame. “Guys know who’s playing who, who’s involved with different races, trying to win your division, all the different scenarios. I think it’s natural that you’re watching.”
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