Braves rest several starters, drop regular-season finale in Miami

AP photo by Wilfredo Lee / Atlanta Braves catcher William Contreras is congratulated by teammates after he scored on a single by Eddie Rosario during the fourth inning of Wednesday's loss to the host Miami Marlins.
AP photo by Wilfredo Lee / Atlanta Braves catcher William Contreras is congratulated by teammates after he scored on a single by Eddie Rosario during the fourth inning of Wednesday's loss to the host Miami Marlins.

MIAMI — Don Mattingly went out as a winner in his final game as manager of the Miami Marlins when rookie Peyton Burdick homered and drove in four runs Wednesday, leading the team to a 12-9 win over the Atlanta Braves as the regular season wrapped up.

Matt Olson hit his 34th home run of the season and Marcell Ozuna hit his 23rd for the Braves, who finished 101-61 and had already clinched their fifth straight National League East Division title with Tuesday's win at Miami. Atlanta, the reigning World Series champion, has a bye into an NL Division Series next week against the winner of the best-of-three wild-card matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Braves dropped two of three in Miami this week but won the season series against the Marlins 13-6.

The 61-year-old Mattingly announced Sept. 25 he would not seek a new contract. Miami's final record of 69-93, fourth in the NL East, surpassed its 2021 finish by two games.

"I think this thing very easily could turn very quickly," Mattingly said. "You see the makings of it. Obviously with our pitching staff, it gives you a huge chance. We were in so many close games this year."

Mattingly finished his Marlins tenure 443-587, highlighted by a playoff berth in the 2020 season, which was shortened from 162 games to 60 in the regular season. It was Mattingly's only winning record in seven seasons with the club.

"It feels good to be a part of this," Mattingly said. "It's the end of what I'm doing right now in this position. I don't know what's going to happen and what door opens or what road I take."

Continuing a final-game custom during his years in Miami, Mattingly allowed a veteran player to manage the team. Catcher Jacob Stallings ran the Marlins on Wednesday, with Mattingly available for advice.

"We were going through all the scenarios in the dugout, it was obviously stressful pitching wise," Stallings said. "But it was fun. Stressful but fun."

In his manager for a day role, Stallings had teammates assist in coaching capacities. Sandy Alcantara and Pablo López were co-pitching coaches, infielder Joey Wendle was the bench coach and infielder-outfielder Brian Anderson served as hitting coach.

The Braves, with nothing to play for in postseason positioning, fielded a lineup without several of their top players.

All-Stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley and NL rookie of the year contender Michael Harris II rested. Shortstop Dansby Swanson grounded out to lead off the game but was replaced by rookie Vaughn Grissom in the bottom of the first. Olson, the team's first baseman, and Swanson played in all 162 games this year.

"I'm so proud of the group, how they hung in there," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "Everybody withstands adversity in this sport. It's how some teams handle it and come out of it, and these guys did. It's a really impressive group."

JJ Bleday tripled and singled, and Nick Fortes homered for Miami. Eight starters for Miami had hits against four Atlanta pitchers.

Fortes' two-run homer capped a five-run sixth and gave Miami a 10-6 lead. Jon Berti hit a two-run triple and scored on Bleday's triple off reliever Jesse Chavez (4-3).

Olson's two-run drive off Andrew Nardi (1-1) in the seventh inning got Atlanta within 10-8 before Burdick connected for a two-run homer in the bottom half.

"It was definitely a good way to go out," Burdick said. "It's been a great year learning from Donnie, one of the best players to ever do it."

In addition to his first three-hit game, Burdick robbed Olson of an extra-base hit with his leaping catch at the wall in the fourth.

"I'm just glad we won and send Donnie out on a good note," Burdick said.

A brief video honoring Mattingly was played before the bottom of the fifth. The video drew applause from the crowd of 12,195 and the Atlanta dugout.

Miami's Dylan Floro inherited two runners with one out in the ninth and walked Robbie Grossman and allowed Guillermo Heredia's RBI single. Ehire Adrianza lined out to left before Floro struck out Grissom in a 13-pitch at-bat for his 10th save this year.

Ozuna's three-run homer in the sixth put Atlanta ahead 6-5. He drove reliever Bryan Hoeing's sinker over the wall in left.

Jackson Stephens worked the first three innings for the Braves. The right-hander gave up three runs on five hits and two walks.

Marlins starter Elieser Hernández was lifted after four innings. He allowed three runs and four hits and struck out three batters.

The Braves will have Thursday and Friday off before they begin workouts Saturday for their NLDS that begins Tuesday in Atlanta, with Truist Park the site of all three games. After his club spent months chasing and eventually overtaking the New York Mets for the division crown — the teams finished with the same record, but the Braves got the title with their one-game edge in the season series via this past weekend's three-game sweep — Snitker believed the players deserved a short break from baseball activities.

The Marlins drew an NL-low 907,487 for their 81 home games in the first season since 2019 that stadium capacity wasn't limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. The total exceeded the final attendance of 811,302 in 2019.

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