Marlins face NL-leading Braves as difficult stretch continues

It doesn't get any easier for the Miami Marlins. After playing a three-game series at Tampa Bay, the team with the best record in the American League, they return home to open a four-game set Monday against the Atlanta Braves, the team with the best record in the National League.

The Marlins lost the rubber game of the series 6-3 against the Rays on Sunday and have lost nine of their last 14. The Braves beat the Boston Red Sox 8-1 on Sunday to take two-of-three and post their major league-best 32nd win.

This will be the second series between the two National League East teams. The host Braves took two of three from the Marlins in mid-April.

The pitching matchups for the opener features Miami right-hander Max Meyer (3-0, 3.21 ERA) vs. Atlanta righty JR Ritchie (1-0, 3.32).

Meyer is coming off a workmanlike effort at Minnesota on Wednesday when he picked up a win after throwing 5 2/3 innings and allowing four runs. He fanned a season-high nine batters and walked only two.

"Max was fine," manager Clayton McCullough said afterward. "He grinded through this a little bit. Nice to have the weapons he does. He's come so far as a starter. His ability to navigate through lineups, he has more weapons at his disposal. To pitch into the sixth, get out of a few jams in earlier innings, was big."

Meyer is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four career starts against Atlanta. He faced the Braves on April 14 and did not receive a decision, pitching five innings and allowing three runs in an eventual 6-5 Atlanta win.

Ritchie continues to impress since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett and inserted in the starting rotation. He did not receive a decision in his last outing on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs, a game the Braves won 4-1. Ritche's high pitch count (87) caused him to be removed after 4 1/3 innings, although he allowed only one run on two hits. He has never faced the Marlins.

"I've talked about Ritchie having the weapons, for left-handed hitters, right-handed hitters," Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. "He spins the ball well, and there's some power with the heater. So, he's got all the weapons."

Atlanta has led the opposition to three or fewer runs in 11 consecutive games dating to May 5. The Braves have pitched to a 1.95 ERA (21 earned runs in 97 innings) over that stretch. It is the longest such stretch by Atlanta since going 12 straight games in 2002.

Ritchie will need to deal with Miami shortstop Otto Lopez and catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks. Lopez had two more hits on Sunday and leads the majors with 63 hits and a .344 batting average. He is the seventh player in franchise history with 60-plus hits through 45 games to start the season. Hicks has 40 RBI, joining Giancarlo Stanton as the only players in Marlins history to reach that milestone through a season's first 43 games.

The Braves are 28-5 when scoring at least four runs. The Braves hit two more home runs (Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski) on Sunday and upped their NL lead to 66.