Joe Mack drove in four runs and Javier Sanoja hit a grand slam to lead the Miami Marlins to a 12-0 rout of the visiting Atlanta Braves on Monday in the opener of their four-game series.
Miami batted around in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring five and six runs respectively. The Marlins collected 10 hits, seven walks and scored a season-high 12 runs. It was the most runs allowed by Atlanta this season.
Mack, a rookie catcher, got the first run home on an infield grounder in the second inning and lined a two-run single to start the scoring in the fourth. He walked with the bases loaded to trigger the six-run uprising in the fifth.
Sanoja teed off on reliever Aaron Bummer, who walked the bases loaded before surrendering the grand slam in the fifth inning. It was Sanoja’s first homer of the season and first career grand slam. Xavier Edwards, who went 2-for-4, followed with his fifth home run.
Miami’s Liam Hicks, who went 2-for-3, had a two-run double to retake the major league lead with 42 RBIs.
Mack and Sanoja were in the eight and nine slots in the Marlins’ lineup.
The beneficiary of the run support was starter Max Meyer (4-0), who threw six scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed three hits and two walks, striking out six. It was Meyer’s second scoreless start of the season.
John King, Calvin Faucher and Lake Bachar each worked a scoreless inning to complete Miami’s third shutout.
Miami handed Atlanta rookie JR Ritchie (1-1) the worst beating of his career. The right-hander worked only four innings and allowed a career-high six runs on six hits and one walk, striking out four. Ritchie’s ERA soared from 3.32 to 4.91.
Bummer became the first Atlanta pitcher to walk five batters in one inning since Jaret Wright in 2004. He allowed six runs in one inning and saw his ERA jump to 7.63.
Home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez had to leave the game in the second inning after being struck twice on the mask by foul balls. He shook off a foul ball off the bat of Austin Riley, but was smacked again by the next batter, Mauricio Dubon, and went to the clubhouse. Mike Estabrook moved in from first base to call balls and strikes.
