Ramirez home run backs up Junk start, keys Marlins' victory over the Braves
The moment Augustín Ramírez swung, it was clear the ball was gone.
It landed 436 feet away in the left-field seats — the second-longest home run of the season for the Miami Marlins, exactly one week after Ramírez launched the longest one 447 feet at Washington.
Ramírez's three-run blast in the third inning Friday night provided the Marlins more than enough offense in a 6-2 win over the Braves to open their three-game series at loanDepot park. The Braves entered having won seven of their past 10 games.
In his first MLB start since 2023, reliever Janson Junk delivered an impressive outing, giving up just one run on five hits over five innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
'We've seen the same today what he had shown in the other roles he had been used in up to this point — quality stuff, the ability to mix pitches, get misses, pound the strike zone,' said Marlins' manager Clayton McCullough.
'We expected Janson, with this being a start compared to coming out of the bullpen, would be equally as prepared and would be able to go out there and throw as he has. And it was another effective outing for him.'
Junk threw 61 of 79 pitches for strikes and threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of the 20 batters he faced.
'The mentality is that every single inning I wanted to step on it a little bit more,' Junk said. 'I've gone through phases where I go through a lull, so I was trying to break that habit of cruise control, and every inning go up a gear and dominate even more than the inning before.'
Junk, whose seven previous MLB starts came between 2021 and 2023, said he understands his strengths now as opposed to then when 'there was a lot of searching.' While Junk gave the Marlins the start they were hoping for on the mound, Marlins' hitters did precisely what they needed to do against Braves starter Didier Fuentes, who was making his MLB debut.
Fuentes, who turned 20 years old three days earlier, became the youngest Braves' starting pitcher in 55 years and the majors' youngest starter on the mound since the Dodgers' Julio Urías started against the Phillies at 19 years and 362 days old on Aug. 8, 2016.
Liam Hicks' RBI single in the second inning opened the scoring. Eric Wagaman's ground-rule double in the sixth off reliever Aaron Bummer gave the Marlins a 5-1 lead. And in the seventh, Ramírez singled off Pierce Johnson for his fourth RBI of the night, matching a career high.
Ramirez's 11 home runs lead the Marlins and all MLB rookies while his 22 extra-base hits rank second only to the Athletics' Jacob Wilson (24).
McCullough said he would 'love to see' Ramírez participate in the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game.
'Augustín could put on an absolute show in an environment like that and certainly has the power to do it,' he said. 'That would be really cool for him and for the nation to continue to get a chance to look at him.'
Ramírez said he would welcome the chance to take part in the competition.
In addition to his offense, the Marlins got some stellar defensive plays, including two back-to-back in the third inning. Shortstop Otto Lopez dove to stop a sharply hit ground ball at the edge of the outfield grass and from his knees made an accurate three-bounce throw for the out. Left fielder Kyle Stowers then made a sliding catch.
In the sixth, center fielder Dane Myers robbed Marcell Ozuna of a home run. Myers scaled the wall, and while he couldn't secure the catch, he brought the ball back onto the field with his glove. Ozuna was forced to settle for a double and was eventually stranded at second base.
'We know we're going to have to play high-quality defense to win games at this level,' McCullough said.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Reliever Ronny Henriquez pitched a scoreless seventh inning on his 25th birthday.
▪ Robinson Piña made his major-league debut in the eighth inning. Piña retired three of four batters, the lone blemish a 430-foot homer by Austin Riley. 'He kept attacking and throwing strikes,' McCullough said.
▪ Rookie Heriberto Hernández was the designated hitter Friday — the ninth time in the past 12 games that he's been in the starting lineup. He was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts after entering the game with 13 hits in his past 29 at-bats (.448), including three doubles and a home run.
▪ Right fielder Jesús Sánchez played his 500th career game.
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