Today's Three Things: Braves once again sweep a doubleheader against Miami

The Atlanta Braves have won six straight doubleheader games against the Marlins, dating back to 2018

The Atlanta Braves swept both games of their Saturday doubleheader against the Miami Marlins, winning game one 7-2 and game two 8-6 in Truist Park.

Here’s Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

Game one was an easy Atlanta win, but let’s talk about the bottom of the 6th inning of game two, where Atlanta rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead.

Now that Sandy Alcantara was out of the game, replaced by reliever Valente Bellozo, the bottom of the order looked to get the Braves some insurance. Recent waiver claim Vidal Bruján, making his first career start for Atlanta, singled to center (his third time on base in the game, thanks to two walks and this hit). Luke Williams, who rotated in for Nacho Alvarez for game two, drew a walk before shortstop Nick Allen bunted them both into scoring position. After Jurickson Profar drew his own walk to load the bases with only one out, the heart of Atlanta’s order got to work. Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin both singled, driving in three runs to push the lead to four. While Miami would get two of those runs back in the 7th, Atlanta was able to hold on thanks to the clutch hitting of Olson and Baldwin.

Baldwin is going to be a problem for Miami in his career, I can already tell. The rookie catcher already has 10 RBI in just this series, the most by any Braves rookie in a single series in the Atlanta era (since 1966, when the franchise moved from Milwaukee). He’s already 13-32 with two homers, fifteen total RBI, and seven runs scored in just eight career games versus the Fish. Shades of Chipper Jones versus the Mets.

Today’s Players of the Doubleheader

Game One: Hurston Waldrep

The Mayor of Splitter City looked incredibly impressive against Miami, going six innings with just one run allowed on four hits, walking one and striking out six. His splitter was (obviously) the star of the show, leading in usage at 31% and getting six whiffs and seven fouls on the 16 swings. But in a newer development, Waldrep mixed his fastballs.

At the urging of Sean Murphy, who suggested adding a sinker during Murphy’s time rehabbing in Gwinnett earlier this season, Waldrep now throws both his four-seamer, a sinker, and a cutter. He used all three tonight, coming in at 20% (sinker), 13% (four-seam), and 11% (cutter) usage. It’s a very Boston Red Sox way of thinking - if you don’t have an elite fastball, mix and match all three to keep it off of barrels.

Waldrep was called up, not added as the 27th man, so it’s clear that he is expected to make more starts for the Braves down the stretch.

Game Two: Marcell Ozuna

The Big Bear had not one but two Big Flies in this one. Ozuna got Atlanta on the board in the 4th inning with a solo shot off of Sandy Alcantara before capping the four-run fourth with a three-run blast off of Alcantara to give Atlanta a lead they would not relinquish.

The two homers push Ozuna to 293 for his career, and a disproportionate number of those involve the Marlins. He hit 96 during his five years with Miami, who signed him as an international free agent in 2008 and debuted him in the majors five seasons later, but he’s also played well against them since leaving via trade in 2017. Ozuna now has 21 homers against the Marlins, the fourth-highest total against any team, despite playing just 76 games against the franchise. The only teams he’s hit more bombs against are Washington (29 in 142 games), Philadelphia (27 in 156 games), and Milwaukee (26 in 96 games).

What You’ll Be Talking About

Atlanta’s historic domination of Miami.

The Braves have won more games against the Marlins than any team in baseball since the Florida franchise was founded in 1993. Atlanta is now 322-213 all-time versus Miami. In Truist Park, Atlanta’s now 52-22 since the facility opened in 2017, by far the best record the Braves have against any opponent at home.

But it’s not just all-time dominance we’re talking about here. Atlanta’s now won six straight doubleheader games against Miami, dating back to the 2018 season. And even when Miami has a lead, it’s not always safe against Miami. Since Truist Park opened in 2017, the Braves have trailed the Marlins by four or more runs seventeen times…and Atlanta came back to win seven of those contests. Over that same time period, the Braves are just 26-301 in Truist Park when trailing by four or more runs, so comebacks against the Marlins account for roughly 27% of all four-run-or-greater comebacks by Atlanta in Truist Park.

Looking for more discussion about this game?

Here’s tonight’s Postcast, with me and Locked On Braves host Jake Mastroianni, as we went live to break down the dual wins.

What’s Next for the Braves?

Atlanta’s already won the series, but they have one more game to be played. There’s still stakes here, too - the Braves have won the season series in each of the past ten years against Miami, dating back to 2015, but are up just 5-4 in 2025. If the Braves win tomorrow, the Marlins would need to sweep at home on August 25th-27th to take the season series.

Joey Wentz (2-3, 5.34) is looking to get Atlanta that win, taking on Cal Quantrill (4-9, 5.21) at 1:35 PM ET.