Braves at Marlins
The Atlanta Braves will try to maintain their recent mastery of the Miami Marlins when the National League East rivals open a three-game series in Florida on Friday night. The Braves are 5-1 against the Marlins in 2019 and have won 20 of the last 26 meetings.
Atlanta enters the set on a sour note after dropping a 6-1 decision at Pittsburgh on Thursday while going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The Marlins have won five of their last six series after taking two of three from Milwaukee, losing Thursday's finale 5-1. Braves rookie Mike Soroka aims to win his seventh consecutive decision - one of which came at Miami last month - when he starts Friday's opener opposite Jose Urena for the Marlins. Urena was at the center of a melee between the teams last season after intentionally hitting Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr., and the Braves threw at Urena when he batted against them earlier this season.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Soroka (6-1, 1.41 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Urena (4-6, 4.14)
Soroka allowed more than one earned run for the first time in his win over Detroit on Saturday, yielding three in 6 2/3 innings. He has 17 strikeouts against one walk with 14 hits allowed in 20 2/3 innings over his last three outings. The 21-year-old held Miami to two unearned runs and three hits in seven dominant frames in the first matchup.
Urena has five straight quality starts and eight in his last nine outings, the one exception being the loss against Atlanta on May 3 in which he allowed five runs in six innings. He held San Diego to three runs and a season-low three hits in six innings his last time out. The 27-year-old is 2-7 with a 6.07 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) against the Braves.
WALK-OFFS
1. ESPN's Buster Olney reported Thursday night that the Braves are closing in on a contract with free-agent LHP Dallas Keuchel.
2. Marlins LF Garrett Cooper has nine RBIs over his last nine games.
3. Atlanta is 9-4 in Miami over the last two seasons.