<img alt="Miami Marlins v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zNzLCQ6pofkBWGOt0-lBBEhqNnc=/0x0:6089x4059/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74006619/2208170921.0.jpg">
Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
AJ Smith-Shawver pitched a fine outing, but the offense simply did not do enough to win this game, as scoring runs continues to be a struggle for this team. Looking for their second win of the season, the Atlanta Braves were hoping that AJ Smith-Shawver could build on his mixed first outing of the season.
The Marlins jumped all over AJ’s fastball early, with three hard-hit balls in the first inning. Bryan De La Cruz had a fantastic outfield assist from the warning track to throw out Xavier Edwards trying to tag up and take third for the first two outs of the inning. AJ walked the next batter and then gave up a two-run homer, so that De La Cruz assist saved a run.
A BRYAN DE LA CRUZ MISSILE pic.twitter.com/EZ4qzIX1xf— Kevin Keneely (@KevinKeneely1) April 5, 2025
AJ continued to struggle with command, as he walked another batter, but stopped the bleeding with a strikeout to end the inning at 2-0 Marlins. Michael Harris led off the home first with a well-hit double, but the Braves suffered three contact outs, including two hard-hit balls to end the inning scoreless.
The Marlins’ offense managed another two hard-hit balls in the second and got a double from one of them, but Smith-Shawver’s command was better and he recorded two strikeouts for a scoreless second. The Braves got a baserunner from a De La Cruz single in the second, but a Drake Baldwin ground ball double-play ended the inning. Two line drive singles and stolen base brought home a small-ball run for the Marlins in the fourth, as the Braves’ offense continued to be unable to bring a run home, despite some well-hit balls. Smith-Shawver recorded the first two outs of the fifth, but a single on a bad throw from Austin Riley ended his outing, as Snitker went to Jose Suarez in the bullpen.
It was overall a fine outing from AJ. He allowed some quality batted balls and a little more than his fair share of walks, especially in the first, but settled into the game pretty well and did well to miss bats. A line of 4.2 innings with 3 batted balls and 6 strikeouts with 1 home run is a decent outing for the young righty. The command continues to be the clear thing to work on for Smith-Shawver, but the stuff is there and these are performances he can build on without being a huge drag on the team. Suarez walked his first batter but ended the inning with a groundout.
Drake Baldwin reached second with two outs on a weird misplay by the Marlins’ left fielder, but Nick Allen struck out to strand him. Snit kept riding with Suarez in the sixth and seventh, as Suarez looked...fine, but he gave up a solo homer in the seventh to give Miami a 4-0 lead. The Braves’ offense to this point has hit the ball fine and had just missed on a few homers, but had nothing to show for any of their efforts against the Miami pitching and it was getting late fast. Matt Olson led the seventh off with a single up the middle, but Austin Riley and Bryan De La Cruz each struck out on three pitches. Drake Baldwin hit a single of his own, but Nick Allen struck out to end the inning. Suarez worked a scoreless eighth, as he continued to eat innings out of the Braves’ bullpen.
Stuart Fairchild pinch-hit for Jarred Kelenic in the eighth and led off with a double, reaching third on an error in left field. Michael Harris struck out in a fairly brutal at-bat, Ozzie grounded out on a chopper that wasn’t able to bring home Fairchild, and Ozuna struck out as well to again strand a runner in scoring position. Enyel De Los Santos got the ninth for Atlanta and impressively struck out the side, working around a lucky single. Matt Olson walked to lead off the ninth, but Riley, De La Cruz, and Baldwin went down in order to end the inning.
The Braves didn’t hit the ball badly this game, but the batted ball luck and sequencing didn’t work out and they didn’t hit any homers (though they just missed on a few). The pitching wasn’t amazing, but absolutely gave the Braves a chance to win this game against a thoroughly unimpressive Marlins pitching staff and while they were unlucky to be shut out, the offense did not do enough to win this game.
The Braves will now have to beat Sandy Alcantara with Grant Holmes on the mound to avoid going 1-9. Join us tomorrow to see what happens at 1:35 PM ET.
<img alt="Miami Marlins v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zNzLCQ6pofkBWGOt0-lBBEhqNnc=/0x0:6089x4059/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74006619/2208170921.0.jpg">
Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
AJ Smith-Shawver pitched a fine outing, but the offense simply did not do enough to win this game, as scoring runs continues to be a struggle for this team. Looking for their second win of the season, the Atlanta Braves were hoping that AJ Smith-Shawver could build on his mixed first outing of the season.
The Marlins jumped all over AJ’s fastball early, with three hard-hit balls in the first inning. Bryan De La Cruz had a fantastic outfield assist from the warning track to throw out Xavier Edwards trying to tag up and take third for the first two outs of the inning. AJ walked the next batter and then gave up a two-run homer, so that De La Cruz assist saved a run.
A BRYAN DE LA CRUZ MISSILE pic.twitter.com/EZ4qzIX1xf— Kevin Keneely (@KevinKeneely1) April 5, 2025
AJ continued to struggle with command, as he walked another batter, but stopped the bleeding with a strikeout to end the inning at 2-0 Marlins. Michael Harris led off the home first with a well-hit double, but the Braves suffered three contact outs, including two hard-hit balls to end the inning scoreless.
The Marlins’ offense managed another two hard-hit balls in the second and got a double from one of them, but Smith-Shawver’s command was better and he recorded two strikeouts for a scoreless second. The Braves got a baserunner from a De La Cruz single in the second, but a Drake Baldwin ground ball double-play ended the inning. Two line drive singles and stolen base brought home a small-ball run for the Marlins in the fourth, as the Braves’ offense continued to be unable to bring a run home, despite some well-hit balls. Smith-Shawver recorded the first two outs of the fifth, but a single on a bad throw from Austin Riley ended his outing, as Snitker went to Jose Suarez in the bullpen.
It was overall a fine outing from AJ. He allowed some quality batted balls and a little more than his fair share of walks, especially in the first, but settled into the game pretty well and did well to miss bats. A line of 4.2 innings with 3 batted balls and 6 strikeouts with 1 home run is a decent outing for the young righty. The command continues to be the clear thing to work on for Smith-Shawver, but the stuff is there and these are performances he can build on without being a huge drag on the team. Suarez walked his first batter but ended the inning with a groundout.
Drake Baldwin reached second with two outs on a weird misplay by the Marlins’ left fielder, but Nick Allen struck out to strand him. Snit kept riding with Suarez in the sixth and seventh, as Suarez looked...fine, but he gave up a solo homer in the seventh to give Miami a 4-0 lead. The Braves’ offense to this point has hit the ball fine and had just missed on a few homers, but had nothing to show for any of their efforts against the Miami pitching and it was getting late fast. Matt Olson led the seventh off with a single up the middle, but Austin Riley and Bryan De La Cruz each struck out on three pitches. Drake Baldwin hit a single of his own, but Nick Allen struck out to end the inning. Suarez worked a scoreless eighth, as he continued to eat innings out of the Braves’ bullpen.
Stuart Fairchild pinch-hit for Jarred Kelenic in the eighth and led off with a double, reaching third on an error in left field. Michael Harris struck out in a fairly brutal at-bat, Ozzie grounded out on a chopper that wasn’t able to bring home Fairchild, and Ozuna struck out as well to again strand a runner in scoring position. Enyel De Los Santos got the ninth for Atlanta and impressively struck out the side, working around a lucky single. Matt Olson walked to lead off the ninth, but Riley, De La Cruz, and Baldwin went down in order to end the inning.
The Braves didn’t hit the ball badly this game, but the batted ball luck and sequencing didn’t work out and they didn’t hit any homers (though they just missed on a few). The pitching wasn’t amazing, but absolutely gave the Braves a chance to win this game against a thoroughly unimpressive Marlins pitching staff and while they were unlucky to be shut out, the offense did not do enough to win this game.
The Braves will now have to beat Sandy Alcantara with Grant Holmes on the mound to avoid going 1-9. Join us tomorrow to see what happens at 1:35 PM ET.
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