Marlins remain winless at home with loss to Braves
MIAMI (AP) -- Miami Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler couldn't hold a lead in the third inning, and he couldn't even make it through the fourth.
Koehler gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings Saturday and the Marlins remained winless at home this year, losing to the Atlanta Braves 6-4.
"The most frustrating part isn't even the runs," said Koehler (0-2). "You're going to have games where you give up runs. But I take a lot of pride in pitching and lasting in games and giving the team a chance to win. You never want to have a situation where you have the bullpen pick you up for that many innings."
Marlins starters are 0-3, and at home the team is 0-4 under first-year Miami manager Don Mattingly. The Braves won for the second consecutive night after losing their first nine games and will try for a three-game sweep Sunday.
Jason Grilli earned his first save since July when he struck out Giancarlo Stanton on three pitches with two on to end the game.
Grilli, coming back from an Achilles' tendon injury that ended his 2015 season, struck out the side in the ninth. But he also gave up a one-out single, and with two outs he walked Christian Yelich to face the Marlins' $325 million slugger.
"I guess everybody sits there and says, `Uh, you want to pitch to Stanton?'" Grilli said. "But that's the feel of the game. I was watching the game, and Yelich seemed locked in. I didn't want to give in to him."
Nick Markakis drove in three runs with three hits for the Braves, who are now 27-12 at Marlins Park. They came to Miami mired in their worst start since 1988.
"Had to get a little Cuban coffee," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Adeiny Hechavarria and Justin Bour each hit his first homer off Bud Norris (1-2), who nonetheless earned his first victory since joining the Braves. He allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings, and the Atlanta bullpen shut out Miami the rest of the way.
Hunter Cervenka struck out Dee Gordon with two runners in scoring position to end the seventh. With closer Arodys Vizcaino unavailable because of his workload Friday, Grilli pitched the ninth.
Stanton struck out four times, and his average fell to .229.
"I don't think he's necessarily pressing," Mattingly said. "Obviously, he's probably a little frustrated with the way the night ended, but I think he's close. One good swing, one good take, the next thing you know the guy's on a roll."
Koehler walked Norris with two outs to load the bases in the second inning, and Markakis made him pay for the lapse with a two-run single.
A throwing error by shortstop Hechavarria -- his third error this year -- led to an unearned run in the third that tied the game. It scored on a two-out bloop double by Kelly Johnson.
Koehler gave up four more hits in the fourth, including three in a row.
"They were obviously hitting him pretty good," Mattingly said, "and when I see he has trouble putting the pitcher away early on, it wasn't a good sign."
STAYING PATIENT
Despite bullpen issues, Miami has resisted the temptation to call up any youngsters from the minors, and Mattingly endorses the patient approach.
"I know they've had a tendency here to always bring guys right away," he said. "One thing we're trying to do is let those guys develop a little bit, knowing that we're going to need them."
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 0.00), who threw six shutout innings Tuesday at Washington, will start the series finale Sunday against RHP Jarred Cosart (0-0, 5.79).
