ATLANTA (AP) Rookie Mike Foltynewicz won for the first time in three starts since returning to the Braves rotation as Atlanta downed the slumping Miami Marlins 7-2 on Saturday night.
Nick Markakis had three hits and an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, the National League's longest active streak. His run-scoring single in the fifth inning gave the Braves the lead for good.
Foltynewicz (4-3) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings, walking four and hitting a batter while striking out three. The Braves have won five of seven.
Tom Koehler (8-9) started for the Marlins, who have lost six straight overall and six straight against the Braves. The Marlins' bullpen has surrendered 12 runs in 11 innings in the first three games of the series.
Newly acquired Nick Swisher made his presence felt in his first game as a Brave. Swisher, filling in at first base for the injured Freddie Freeman, ripped a two-run double in the seventh inning to give Atlanta a 5-2 lead, then stood at second and made the Tomahawk Chop motion toward the Atlanta dugout. He also made a diving stab at first that doubled off Christian Yelich in the top of the inning.
Markakis' single up the middle in the fifth inning gave the Braves a 3-2 lead. Cameron Maybin hit his second double of the game to get into scoring position for Markakis.
Foltynewicz ran into some trouble in the third inning, walking three straight batters before allowing an infield single to Casey McGehee that tied the score 2-2. The rookie then set down the next nine Marlins before allowing a two-out base hit to Adeiny Hechavarria in the sixth. When he walked Koehler, Ross Detwiler came in and retired Dee Gordon to end the threat.
Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who missed five games with a sprained thumb, was 1 for 2 with two RBIs and a stolen base in his return.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Ace Jose Fernandez was sent to Miami to be examined after complaining of right shoulder stiffness following his start Friday. Fernandez threw 76 pitches over five innings in his sixth start since returning from Tommy John surgery. He is questionable for his next start. Fernandez is 4-0 with a 2.30 ERA this season.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Brad Hand (1-2, 4.71) will get his fifth start of the season in the finale of a four-game series. In his first start in almost two months on Aug. 4, Hand threw four scoreless innings in a 5-1 loss to the Mets. He has thrown eight scoreless innings in three relief appearances against Atlanta this season.
Braves: Shelby Miller (5-8, 2.44) will try to win for the first time since May 17, when he lost a no-hitter against the Marlins with two outs in the ninth inning. Miller is 2-0 and has given up one run in 19 innings in three starts against Miami this year. The Marlins are hitting .141 against him in 70 plate appearances.
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