Urena avoids being hit at plate but struggles on mound as Marlins drop opener to Braves

It had been eight-and-a-half months since Jose Urena’s infamous last outing against the Atlanta Braves last August, the one when he plunked Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. with a 97 mph fastball on his first pitch of the game, caused both benches to clear and was ultimately suspended the following day.

So when the Miami Marlins’ starting pitcher stepped into the batter’s box in the second inning against the Braves on Friday, Braves starting pitcher Kevin Gausman needed just one pitch to make his feelings known.

Gausman’s 97 mph fastball sailed behind Urena, and home plate umpire Jeff Nelson wasted no time ejecting Gausman before tempers could flare.

Urena won that battle, staying in the game and going six innings while Gausman watched from the clubhouse following his ejection just 1 2/3 innings into the game.

The Braves, however, won the game, taking the first of the three-game series at Marlins Park 7-2.

Urena gave up five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four over six innings. He gave up runs in four of the six frames he pitched, with home runs bookending the scoring. It started with a Freddie Freeman solo home run to right-center in the first inning, ended with a two-run shot from Brian McCann to right-center and included a Josh Donaldson RBI single in the third and a McCann sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Urena is now 1-5 on the year. His ERA sits at 5.44 after seven starts.

The Braves (16-16) added two more runs on a Donaldson RBI double in the seventh off reliever Tayron Guerrero.

The Marlins (9-22) did little on offense, putting together just six hits on the night. Their sole runs of the game came on an RBI groundout from Rosell Herrera in the second before Urena’s first plate appearance and a bases-loaded walk by Neil Walker in the sixth.

The Marlins left nine runners on base.

Mattingly ejected

Gausman wasn’t the only one thrown out of the game on Friday.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly was ejected in the bottom of the sixth inning after arguing balls and strikes when a low pitch that should have been Ball 4 for Jorge Alfaro was called a strike. Mattingly came out of the dugout and argued with Nelson, the home plate umpire, for a couple minutes before being sent packing. It was Mattingly’s 30th career ejection.

Alfaro ultimately hit a single to shallow center field two pitches later. He now has hits in six of his last eight games.

This and that

▪ The Marlins activated relief pitcher Austin Brice (gastroenteritis) from the 10-day Injured list and optioned Jarlin Garcia to Triple A New Orleans.

▪ Relief pitcher Riley Ferrell (bicep tendinitis) threw a 22-pitch inning in an extended spring game.

This story was originally published May 3, 2019 at 10:19 PM.

Jordan McPherson

Miami Herald

305-376-2129

Jordan McPherson covers the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Panthers for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and covered the Gators athletic program for five years before joining the Herald staff in December 2017.