Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin delivered a breakout performance Thursday night, blasting two home runs and driving in five runs as the Atlanta Braves stormed back from a four-run deficit to beat the Miami Marlins 8-6 at Truist Park.
Baldwin and Marcell Ozuna each went deep and collected three hits, helping the Braves snap a three-game skid after falling behind 6-2 in the sixth inning. Miami, meanwhile, has dropped three of four since a five-game winning streak and has now lost nine of its last 11 contests.
Atlanta wasted no time putting on a show for the home crowd. With two outs in the first inning, Baldwin and Ozuna launched back-to-back solo homers — the Braves’ seventh set of consecutive blasts this season, and the first since June 5.
But the Marlins punched back hard in the second. Jakob Marsee plated a run with an RBI single, Agustín Ramírez added another with a base hit in the fourth, and Miami’s big frame was highlighted by Eric Wagaman’s two-run triple and Graham Pauley’s two-run homer to give the visitors a 5-2 advantage.
Atlanta’s rally started in the sixth when Baldwin crushed a three-run shot to right-center off Marlins starter Eury Pérez, cutting the deficit to 6-5. Pérez, who surrendered three homers and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, allowed five earned runs — his most since July 1, 2023.
The Braves tied it in the seventh when Baldwin lined an RBI single off reliever Josh Simpson (2-1). Moments later, Ozuna reached on an infield hit, and Jurickson Profar scored on a throwing error by shortstop Otto Lopez to give Atlanta its first lead, 7-6. Jonathan Ornelas added insurance in the eighth by scoring on a wild pitch.
Pierce Johnson (3-3) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief, and Raisel Iglesias closed the door with a perfect ninth for his 15th save, striking out two.
Baldwin’s three-run homer in the sixth jump-started Atlanta’s comeback and marked his first career multi-homer game.
The Braves improved to 50-21 against the Marlins at Truist Park — their best home record versus any NL East opponent since the ballpark opened in 2017.
