Miami Marlins sweep Atlanta Braves, move into third in NL East

Third place now belongs to the Marlins.

“It’s a lot better than fifth,” manager Dan Jennings said.

The Marlins (55-79) moved ahead of the Braves (54-79) in the National League East standings Wednesday afternoon with a 7-3 victory over Atlanta that gave them a sweep of the three-game series.

It was the first road sweep of the season for the Marlins and only their second in Atlanta in a three-game series. The only other time the Marlins swept a three-game series in Atlanta was in 2009.

“They’ve beat us up here pretty good,” said Christian Yelich, who went 4 for 5 with two doubles.

Then again, the Braves are in about the same boat as the Marlins nowadays, simply riding out a terrible season. Their eight-game home losing streak is the longest since 1988, when they lost nine in a row to start the season at Fulton County Stadium.

Marcell Ozuna clubbed his eighth home run, Jeff Mathis drove in a pair of runs with a double and a sacrifice fly, and rookie Adam Conley earned the victory by going five innings.

Conley (3-1) took a 2-0 lead into the third before the Braves scored three runs, with two coming on Cuban rookie Hector Olivera’s two-out single.

But the Marlins tied it in the fourth on Mathis’ sacrifice fly and went ahead in the fifth on a Martin Prado sacrifice fly and Ozuna’s two-run homer on an 0-2 pitch by Williams Perez (4-6).

THIS AND THAT

▪ Shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, one of the few Marlins who has avoided serious injury this season, left Wednesday’s game with a cramp in his left hamstring after beating out a second-inning bunt. He is listed as day-to-day.

▪ Giancarlo Stanton’s injured left hand still isn’t feeling 100 percent, putting his expected return on Friday in doubt. Stanton took himself out of Tuesday’s rehab game with Single A Jupiter after three plate appearances, in which he went 0 for 2 with a walk. Stanton told MLB.com afterward that he continues to feel discomfort in his hand and wrist.

The original prognosis for Stanton, who broke a bone in his hand June 26, was a four-to-six-week recovery period following surgery. But the process has taken much longer than anticipated. Jennings said Stanton was planning to test the hand before deciding whether to try to play again Wednesday. But Stanton wasn’t in the lineup for the Hammerheads, casting further doubt on his return.

▪ The Marlins, as part of their leadership change, have reassigned two members of their player development staff. Marty Scott, vice president of player development, has been reassigned, as was Craig Weissmann, vice president of player personnel. Meetings are scheduled in Miami on Thursday to decide on other moves, including Jennings’ role. Jennings is expected to step aside from his managerial duties and move back to the front office.

▪ Ozuna was originally penciled in to start in right field Wednesday for the first time this season. And Jennings explained the decision to reporters beforehand, saying that with the uncertainty surrounding Stanton, he wanted to give Ozuna a look in right. Jennings must have had second thoughts though because he moved Ozuna back to center — with Ichiro Suzuki going to right — just before Wednesday’s first pitch.

▪ With teams now permitted to expand their rosters, the Marlins called up left-handed reliever Raudel Lazo from Double A Jacksonville. Lazo, who was signed out of Cuba in 2011, went 4-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 26 combined appearances for Jacksonville and Single A Jupiter. To make room for Lazo on the 40-man roster, infielder Don Kelly was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.

“We like his stuff,” Jennings said. “We wanted to add another left-hander in the bullpen, and he gives us that option.”

COMING UP

▪ Thursday: Off day.

▪ Friday: Marlins RHP Tom Koehler (8-13, 4.12 ERA) vs. Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.32), 7:10 p.m., Marlins Park.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Miami Marlins sweep Atlanta Braves, move into third in NL East."