The Atlanta Braves picked up their fourth-straight win on Monday night against the Miami Marlins, winning by a score of 7-5. The club used a four-run first inning to their advantage on a night Tim Hudson struggled, and the bullpen took care of the rest. Atlanta now sits five games back of the Nationals in the NL East and holds a 7 1/2 game lead for the first wild card spot.
Martin Prado, who recorded four hits on the night, drove home the first run of the game with a single in the first inning. Dan Uggla then came up and cranked a 410-foot three-run homer down the left field line to make it 4-0.
In the fourth inning, Jeff Baker recorded his first RBI as a Brave with a line drive single to right. Tim Hudson then grounded out to plate a run and make it 6-0. The Marlins battled back, though, and scored four runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Carlos Lee then cut the deficit to 6-5 in the seventh with an RBI-single up the middle.
Prado delivered yet again in the eighth with a bloop single to center that scored a big insurance run. With a 7-5 lead in the ninth, Craig Kimbrel entered and worked a scoreless frame to secure his 37th save of the season. Atlanta is now 85-63 this season.
The Braves and Marlins will meet again Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. ET.
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