ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Marlins at Braves

I almost titled this “Carlyle & Saltalamacchia 3, Marlins 1”, because the battery didn’t get a whole lot of help there, but there were a few other contributors. Buddy Carlyle was great, seven innings of one-hit baseball; unfortunately, that one hit was a solo homer from Bret Boone’s almost-as-evil brother in the third. The Braves had several scoring opportunities but couldn’t get it done, typified by Saltalamacchia getting stranded on a leadoff single.

So Jarrod decides that he’s going to win this sucker on his own. With one out and one on in the seventh he took a pitch over the left field wall to give the Braves a 2-1 lead. After an improbable pinch homer from Chris Woodward — who at least isn’t Pete Orr, the man he replaced — made it 3-1, Soriano did his thing in the eighth and Wickman (after allowing a one-out single) struck out the last two to save it.

Carlyle did walk three, but struck out five in seven innings of work, and 53 of his 92 pitches were strikes. Two of the walks were erased on Saltalamacchia caught stealings, and the other on a double play. He also hit Boone with a pitch, but then Boone always deserves it… Francoeur was 3-4 with a run scored, though he did foolishly get himself thrown out at third trying to stretch a double with two out in the eighth. I have decided to blame Brian Snitker… Speaking of third base coaches and odd decisions, Fredi took out Sergio Mitre with a 1-0 lead and with only 58 pitches thrown. Apparently Mitre had a sore hamstring, but it gives the Braves somewhat of an advantage that the Marlins needed four innings from their bullpen in the afternoon game.

As usual, this serves as the game thread for the nightcap.