Game 2 of the National League Divisional Series is set for Wednesday night between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves. The Braves took the opener, 9-5, to build a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-five game series.
The first pitch of the game is scheduled for 2:08 p.m. EST inside Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX. The Braves are again a heavy favorite in Game 2, according to oddsmakers.
What to Know – Miami Marlins
Miami punched their ticket to the postseason for the first time since winning the World Series in 2003. The Marlins entered as the 6th-seed and swept the 3-seed Chicago Cubs in two games to advance. Miami finished the shortened season with a 31-29 overall record, four games behind the Braves in the NL East.
Pablo Lopez will make his first start of the postseason when he takes the mound for the Marlins in Game 2. The right-hander finished the regular season with a 6-4 record, 3.61 ERA, and 1.19 WHIP.
Lopez’s last start came against the Braves late last month. He fired five innings of work, scattering just two hits and striking out six in the victory.
Brian Anderson went 3-for-4 with a run and RBI while Garrett Cooper hit a double that drove in two. Miguel Rojas added a solo home run in the second inning to spark the Marlins offense. Miami was without the services of mid-season acquisition Starling Marte, who is not on the roster for the series.
What to Know – Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is the 2nd-seed on the NL side of the playoff bracket after a 35-25 regular-season record. The Braves have fought through the loss of key pitchers throughout the season. The Braves took down the Reds in the opening series and did not allow a run in the process.
Rookie Ian Anderson gets the start for the Braves after pitching lights out last week against the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series. Anderson worked six innings allowing no runs, sprinkled two hits, and struck out nine in the effort. The right-hander finished the regular season with a 3-2 record, 1.95 ERA, and 1.08 WHIP.
The Braves hit three home runs in Game 1, highlighted by a three-run shot by Travis d’Arnaud that broke up a tie game and put the game away for Atlanta. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Dansby Swanson also went yard for the Braves, who collected 12 hits as a team.
The Pick is In
There are not a lot of holes in the Braves offense to exploit. The loss of Marte is a tremendous blow to the Marlins offense, who needs all the firepower they can get to compete with Atlanta. Although Lopez pitched well against the Braves in his final start of the regular season, this will be his first postseason start and the added pressures that come with it.
Side with the Braves in Game 2. They have looked sharp in every aspect of the game so far in the postseason.
