ATLANTA (AP) — Spencer Strider took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and struck out 13 as the Atlanta Braves snapped a four-game skid Monday night, hitting five home runs in an 11-0 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Fans booed when Jean Segura singled to left field to end Strider’s no-hit bid with one out in the eighth, and Jon Berti followed with a single. But the right-hander fanned the next two batters to finish his dominant outing with a flourish.
Strider had a perfect game going until Gold Glove first baseman Matt Olson made a fielding error on a leadoff grounder by Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the seventh.
Sam Hilliard homered twice, and Sean Murphy, Eddie Rosario and Austin Riley also connected as the Braves avoided their first five-game losing streak since September 2017, when they ended the season with six straight defeats.
Strider (3-0) threw 81 of his 101 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.80. He was runner-up in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season to teammate Michael Harris II.
Strider needed just 69 pitches, 55 strikes, to retire his first 18 batters — 10 on strikeouts. His night ended with Garrett Hampson swinging and missing at a 97 mph fastball in the eighth. Strider left the mound to a standing ovation and tipped his cap as he strolled to the dugout.
Murphy’s sixth homer of the season sailed 430 feet to left-center to make it 1-0 in the third. Hilliard’s first of the night, a two-run shot to center, put Atlanta up 3-0 in the fourth.
Rosario connected for a two-run shot to make it 5-0 in the fifth. Hilliard and Riley homered in the sixth for an 8-0 advantage.
Ozzie Albies tripled with the bases loaded in eighth to pad the lead to 11-0.
Strider has struck out at least nine in nine straight starts dating to last Sept. 1. It’s the longest active streak in the majors and the longest in franchise history, one better than Hall of Famer John Smoltz. The longest streak in major league history belongs to Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan with 11.
Strider routinely hit the high-90s (mph) with his fastball, but his slider was equally effective. Hampson, the last batter to face Strider in the sixth, whiffed on an 82 mph slider.
Miami had won six of eight overall but fell to 17-38 in Atlanta since Truist Park opened in 2017.
Edward Cabrera (1-2) allowed four hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings.
BOO BIRDS
Braves DH Marcell Ozuna went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts as his batting average dropped to .078. He was booed every time he headed back to the dugout. Ozuna has been the target of fans since he got arrested for DUI last year and arrested for domestic violence the year before.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: 2B Luis Arráez was held out of the lineup for the second straight day with a bruised left knee. Miami manager Skip Schumaker said Arráez fouled a ball off his knee and is day-to-day. … RHP Johnny Cueto, out with right biceps tightness, will throw three innings at extended spring training on Wednesday. … SS Joey Wendle hit off a pitching machine and participated in the pregame workout. Wendle has been on the injured list since April 4 with a right intercostal strain.
Braves: Harris, sidelined since April 7 with a lower back strain, ran on the field and took live batting practice against closer Raisel Iglesias. Harris said afterward that he felt good. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Harris will begin a rehab assignment soon but didn’t specify a date. … Iglesias has been out since spring training with a right shoulder strain and has no immediate timetable for a return. … Snitker said RHP Collin McHugh (shoulder inflammation) will be activated from the injured list on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Charlie Morton (2-2, 3.22 ERA) will face RHP Bryan Hoeing (0-0, 0.00) when the teams play the second of a four-game series Tuesday. Hoeing will make his second career start.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
