Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis leaves the batter's box after hitting a single during the third inning of Sunday's game against the Miami Marlins.MIAMI - Attempting to score from first base on a double with the game tied in the 10th inning, pinch-runner Max Fried had a good excuse for stumbling as he rounded third: His day job is on the mound, not the basepaths.
The speedy Fried didn't let that stop him. He put the Atlanta Braves ahead to stay Sunday by sliding head-first across the plate, and they beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 in 10 innings to complete a three-game series sweep.
Fried took off when Ender Inciarte faked a bunt and instead slapped an opposite-field RBI double down the line.
"Trust me, that wasn't my intention to go head-first," said Fried, a 25-year-old left-hander who has both started and worked out of the bullpen since making his MLB debut in 2017. "I came around third and kind of stuttered a little bit - just kind of lost my footing - and figured the only way I was making it to home plate was launching myself forward.
"There wasn't a lot of thinking. It took me back to high school."
Nick Markakis homered in the seventh to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead, but the Marlins tied it with three consecutive singles in the eighth.
Miami reliever Tayron Guerrero (1-1) walked pinch-hitter Josh Donaldson to start the 10th. Inciarte then squared to bunt but instead shot a grounder into the left-field corner before watching Fried go all the way around.
"Amazing," Inciarte said. "He's such a competitive guy."
Fried slid home safely when catcher Chad Wallach couldn't handle the relay throw on a short hop from Miguel Rojas.
"If the throw's there, we've got him," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.
Charlie Culberson followed with a sacrifice fly.
Five Atlanta pitchers combined on a six-hitter. Luke Jackson pitched around a 10th-inning double by Peter O'Brien that deflected off the roof for his second save in three opportunities.
The Braves completed their third series sweep of the season and their 23rd sweep of the Marlins in the 27-season history between the National League East Division teams. The Braves improved to 44-23 at Marlins Park.
Pablo Lopez allowed three hits and no runs in six innings for the Marlins (9-24), who have the worst record in the majors.
"Certain games are more frustrating than others, honestly," Mattingly said. "There are games that you feel like you pitch well or you played well and you get beat, and it's easier to deal with."
Atlanta's Julio Teheran, who had lost three consecutive starts, allowed only two hits in six scoreless innings. The Marlins tied it in the eighth on consecutive singles by pinch-hitter Jon Berti, Martin Prado and Brian Anderson against Josh Tomlin (1-0).
The game's first run scored when Markakis pulled an 0-2 fastball against Drew Steckenrider for a homer leading off the seventh. Markakis also walked twice and singled to hike his average to .333.
Steckenrider has a 6.75 ERA and has allowed six homers in 13 1/3 innings this season.
"It's about what's causing you to miss spots," Mattingly said. "It's not about, 'Don't throw a homer.'"
O'Brien's high drive in the 10th looked like a possible homer before it hit the retractable roof and dropped in front of left fielder Culberson.
"I thought it had a chance," O'Brien said. "I got it pretty good, I just hit it straight up."
The roof was closed for the 1:10 p.m. start, defusing debate about shadows during day games. Two weeks ago, the Washington Nationals complained the mix of shade and sun made for dangerously bad visibility at Marlins Park.
Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was available but sat out after tweaking his back Saturday, when he tied his MLB career high with four hits.
Atlanta, which outscored the Marlins 19-5 in the series and improved to 18-16 this season, continues its 10-game road trip with a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers that starts Monday night and four games against the Arizona Diamondbacks starting Thursday. The Dodgers (22-14) lead the NL West, with the Diamondbacks (20-14) second in the division.
The scheduled starting pitchers for the series opener in Los Angeles are Kevin Gausman (1-2, 4.83) for the Braves and Walker Buehler (3-0, 5.22) for the Dodgers.
Fried (4-1, 2.11) was previously scheduled to take the mound, but instead Gausman (1-2, 4.83) will start on two days' rest. The 28-year-old right-hander threw 28 pitches Friday before being ejected in the second inning for throwing at Marlins starting pitcher Jose Ureña.
"I'm getting that back-in-the-day action - the three-man rotation," Gausman said. "It's a little weird."
Barring a postponement, the Braves will have played 20 straight games without a day off before getting a break on May 13.