Atlanta Braves’ Evan Gattis, right, beats the throw to Miami Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis, left, to score on a single by Chris Johnson in the fourth inning during a baseball game in Miami.MIAMI – Evan Gattis drove in two runs to highlight Atlanta’s highest-scoring inning in more than a month, and the Braves snapped a four-game slide by beating the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Monday night.
Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman and Gattis all doubled to lead off what became a five-run fourth, Atlanta’s biggest inning since a five-run fifth against Philadelphia on Aug. 2. Kris Medlen (13-12) was the beneficiary that night against the Phillies and again on Monday, getting the win after allowing six hits and two runs in 6 1-3 innings.
Atlanta (86-57) passed idle Boston (87-58) for baseball’s best record.
Chris Coghlan tied a career high with four hits for Miami, which lost for the 24th time in its last 34 games. Ed Lucas added a two-run double in the seventh for the Marlins.
Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez (3-4) gave up no hits in the first three innings, before Atlanta got to him in the fourth. Upton got it started with a double to right, Freeman followed with one to left, Gattis drove both home with another two-base hit, and the Braves were rolling. Chris Johnson and Elliot Johnson both had run-scoring singles, and Chris Johnson later scored on a wild pitch for a 5-0 lead.