Swisher, Bourn both collect hits in debuts, Braves beat Marlins 7-2

Both Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher got hits in their debuts (in Bourn's case....re-debut I guess) for Atlanta, none bigger than Nick Swisher's 2-run double, Andrelton Simmons got back on track with 2 RBIs in his return from injury, and the offense continued its improvement of late as the Braves defeated the Marlins 7-2.

Mike Foltynewicz pitched in to the 6th inning with a final line of 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, and 3 Ks and despite a bit of wildness and inconsistency, managed to hold the Marlins at bay. Nick Markakis and Adonis Garcia had 3 hit nights, 5 different Braves had RBIs, and bullpen locked down the win.

The Braves opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with Cameron Maybin, after hitting a ground-rule double, coming home on an AJ Pierzynski single which extended his hit streak to 13 games. Predictably, new arrivals Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher started and ended the first inning respectively with strikeouts. The Marlins answered immediately with a run of their own in the top of the second with an RBI double from Cole Gillespie, but Folty pitched around an additional runner at third by getting a strikeout and groundout to strand Gillespie.

The Braves would have none of that, though, as Jace Peterson would walk, advance to third on a single from Adonis Garcia, and then score on an Andrelton Simmons' sac fly to give the Braves a 2-1 lead (a sequence of events that must have made Seitzer proud). Foltynewicz had trouble throwing strikes after getting two quick outs in the 3rd, walking the bases loaded which resulted in a visit from Roger McDowell. Sadly, a high chopper to third from the aforementioned Gillespie drove in the tying run before getting Adeiny Hechavarria to pop out.

Of note in the fourth, Folty's velocity dropped quite a bit (90-93 mph on his fastball), but he stayed in the game and got a 1-2-3 inning despite the drop in velocity. Same story in the 5th, with a little more life on his fastball, but again he held the Marlins back. One wonders if he was told to take something off because his control so off at points in the game. The bottom of the 5th saw the Braves get the lead back when, after Cameron Maybin hustled for his second double of the game, Nick Markakis drove him in with his second hit of the game. Its also worth mentioning that Nick also holds the longest current hitting streak in the majors at 15 games.

Folty was pulled in the 6th after he went over 100 pitches and had allowed two runners on, in favor of Ross Detwiler who got Dee Gordon to ground in to a force out and got out of the inning.

While Nick Swisher's night at the plate was fairly forgettable up until that point, he certainly made an impression with his glove at first as he dove to catch a liner in the 7th and then doubled off Christian Yelich at first for the double play. After that, Swisher decided to continue his good work with a 2-out, 2-run double in the bottom half of the inning that extended the Braves' lead to 5-2.

Swisher's double play pic.twitter.com/XpqagVsGca

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 9, 2015

Welcome to Atlanta, Nick. #SwishChop http://t.co/DnNWXtv4Xs pic.twitter.com/tKXvbLL1gL

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 9, 2015

Andrelton Simmons would get his second RBI of the night with a double in the 8th to stretch the Braves' lead to 6-2, driving in Adonis Garcia who seems to be getting a big hit in every at-bat of late. After Andrelton stole 3rd, Jonny Gomes drove him in with a single to make the lead 7-2 and then Michael Bourn, not to be out done in his re-introduction to the Braves, singled right after that, although he would not score sadly. The bullpen would take it from there and pitch 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball and lock in the win for the Braves.

BOX SCORE

Source: FanGraphs