Marcell Ozuna Hits 2 HR, Tallies 5 RBI as Braves Crush Marlins 11-1

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

With an 11-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night, the Atlanta Braves secured their third straight National League East title.

Marcell Ozuna and Ozzie Albies gave Atlanta a lead they would never relinquish with solo home runs in the first and second innings, and Ozuna followed up the effort with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning and a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to end the night with five RBI.

Atlanta Braves @Braves

Now leading the National League in home runs: Marcell Ozuna!

#ForTheA https://t.co/1Gjgk6Z75M

And though the pair might have won the game for the Braves, they had some help from new league rules and their rivals up north in clinching the division crown.

Atlanta is five games ahead of Miami with five games remaining this season, but because of new MLB tiebreaker rules, which are based on records within the division, they take the division title over Miami.

The Philadelphia Phillies, who fell 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals Tuesday afternoon, were also eliminated from first-place contention.

Notable Performers

• Marcell Ozuna, DH, Braves: 4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI
• Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves: 3-for-5, two-run HR, 2 RBI
• Ozzie Albies, 2B, Braves: 3-for-4, HR, two runs, RBI
• Starling Marte, CF, Marlins: 2-for-4, HR, RBI

MLB @MLB

Is Freddie Freeman the NL MVP? 👀 https://t.co/6smYMiheHA

1 Man's Injury Is 1 Man's Career Night

With four-time All-Star Cole Hamels having his season called because of shoulder issues ahead of what would have been his second start Tuesday, the Braves needed to act fast to find their starting pitcher to clinch a division title.

Bryse Wilson, a fourth-round pick by Atlanta out of high school in 2016, was called up from the Braves' alternate site Monday, and on Tuesday he fanned a career-high seven batters in five innings of scoreless ball to clinch the NL East crown. Not bad.

Craig Mish @CraigMish

Bryse Wilson looks like Greg Maddux through 5. Career high 7 K. Marlins haven’t had a thing going yet. 2-0 Braves. Realmuto has tied the game up for the Phillies now tied w Nationals 6-6.

Heading into Tuesday, Wilson had a hefty 7.04 ERA in four games this season. He was 1-1 in 2019, making four starts and tossing 20 innings through six games, giving up 26 hits and 18 runs (16 of them earned) for a 7.20 ERA. He pitched seven innings in 2018.

With Hamels out for the season and a Braves rotation that has now used 13 starters in this shortened season, Wilson could provide stability heading into this postseason.

MLB Pipeline @MLBPipeline

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Bryse Wilson spun a gem and fanned 7⃣ for the #Braves tonight. https://t.co/OiH6AnroB5

Urena Continues to Struggle

Marlins right-hander Jose Urena didn't make his season debut until the first week of September as he recovered from the team's COVID-19 outbreak at the end of July and trained at the team's alternate site until he was ready to return. But in his four starts, he's 0-for-3, with no decision handed to him in his return, a 5-4 victory over Atlanta on Sept. 7.

Against the Braves on Tuesday, Urena was rocked for six hits and four earned runs—including two home runs—across six innings, striking out just three.

The bullpen wasn't much help in providing immediate relief, with Nick Vincent giving up a first-pitch home run to Dansby Swanson in the seventh inning before allowing a two-run rocket to Freddie Freeman. He finished the night allowing four hits and three runs on nine pitches.

What's Next?

The newly minted NL East champions will finish out a four-game series with the Marlins before hosting the Boston Red Sox for three games to close out the season. As the rest of the season shakes out in a tight National League playoff race, the Braves await their postseason matchup.

It's not all bad news for the Marlins, who will battle it out with the Phillies for second place and a spot in the postseason since the top two teams in each division move on. Either team could also qualify in a wild-card spot. But the Marlins will need to be on their game, with a three-game road series against the New York Yankees to close out the season after their time in Atlanta.

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