01-09-2020, 03:04 AM
ATLANTA -- Jarrod Saltalamacchia knows most teams dont get many chances to beat Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel. Saltalamacchia drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, Henderson Alvarez won for the first time in three starts and the Miami Marlins beat the Braves 3-2 on Thursday night. "He threw me a lot of sliders tonight, which is not what hes done in the past, but Id swung over a slider two nights ago and struck out," Saltalamacchia said. "I dont blame him. He made a mistake and I was able to do something with it." In taking three of four games, the Marlins won just their second series in the last 10 against the Braves at Turner Field. Alvarez (7-5) gave up six hits, two runs and one walk with four strikeouts in eight innings. The Marlins are 13-3 in his last 16 starts. Kimbrel (0-2), pitching in a non-save situation with the score tied 2-all to begin the ninth, struck out Garrett Jones and had Marcell Ozuna struck out, too, but the ball a wild pitch rolled a few feet from the plate after bouncing off catcher Evan Gattis shin guards and Ozuna reached safely. With Saltalamacchia batting, Ozuna advanced to second on another wild pitch and scored on the RBI single to centre, easily beating B.J. Uptons throw to the plate. Saltalamacchia went 3 for 4 with two doubles. "I think its my third time facing him," Saltalamacchia said. "Hes an All-Star closer. Hes got great stuff and really has a great idea of what hes doing out there. In that situation, Im just trying to not get too big, put a ball in play." Kimbrel, a four-time NL All-Star, allowed one hit and one run and struck out two. He blamed himself for the wild pitches. "Thats part of baseball," Kimbrel said. "Not everything goes perfect every time you go out there. Youve just got to find a way to get through it and unfortunately we didnt do it tonight." Atlanta dropped 1 1/2 games behind first-place Washington in the NL East. Miami, which is eight games out, moved into a tie with the New York Mets for third. Marlins closer Steve Cishek earned his 24th save in 27 chances, retiring Freddie Freeman, Justin Upton and Jason Heyward on fly balls in the ninth. Alvarez had struggled against the Braves, going 0-2 with a 6.86 ERA in four career starts, and he was coming off an outing that ended after 2 2-3 innings when San Franciscos Joe Panik hit a liner off his left shin. Chris Johnson hit his eighth homer, a two-run shot in the second that gave the Braves a 2-0 lead. "As far as today, that one fastball I just left out over the plate," Alvarez said through an interpreter. "He handled it, but as far as my struggles against the Braves, its just been coincidence." The Marlins tied it 2-all in the fifth on Adeiny Hechavarrias RBI single and Christian Yelichs forceout. Aaron Harang, who was attempting to win his fifth straight decision, gave up seven hits, two runs and two walks and struck out five in seven innings. Marlins manager Mike Redmond successfully challenged that Justin Upton was out to end the sixth. Upton, diving back to first base after Heyward lined out to shortstop, was originally called safe by first base umpire Rob Drake, but the call was overturned. Redmond has successfully challenged 15 of 19 calls this year. NOTES: Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez gave SS Andrelton Simmons the night off and started Ramiro Pena, who went 1 for 3, in his place. ... With a throwing miscue in Miamis 6-1 loss Wednesday to Atlanta, Saltalamacchia has 12 errors and is tied for most by a Marlins catcher in a season (Miguel Olivo 2007). ... 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She joins Switzerlands Denise Biellmann as this years inductees to the Hall, based in Colorado Springs, CO.SAN DIEGO - Its great being Meb these days.Crazy, too.Meb Keflezighi already was a big-time marathoner, with a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics and a win in the New York City Marathon in 2009. Then came his inspirational victory in the Boston Marathon a year after the bombings there, and his life went stratospheric.Its been a rush of appearances, speaking engagements and other commitments.The highlight? Being seated at the head table with his wife Yordanos at a White House state dinner in August. Keflezighi said President Barack Obama announced his arrival by saying, Here comes the fast guy. Do you know how fast this guy is?Meb being Meb, though, hes loving every minute of it, with his easy smile and laugh.On a spectacular early autumn San Diego afternoon, Keflezighi took a short break before heading to Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra for 3 1/2 weeks of altitude training prior to running in the New York City Marathon on Sunday.Sitting on the balcony of his house in the upscale Mission Hills neighbourhood, his view stretches from downtown all the way over to Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument, where he took the oath of citizenship on July 2, 1998. Its a far different scene than the one rife with war and poverty that he left behind.Theres an American flag flying from the front of his house. Hes wearing a red, white and blue USA shirt his sponsor, Skechers, made for him.The American dream is to be in San Diego, said Keflezighi. He was born in Eritrea in the Horn of Africa before his father was able to get the family to Italy and then San Diego.New York will be his first marathon since he became the first American man in 31 years to win the Boston Marathon. Keflezighi said life has been crazy since.Its an honour and privilege and it comes with a lot of responsibility, he said. Hopefully everybody that interacted with me before I won Boston, feel the same way after Boston. The demand on my time has changed drastically. Boston just went over the top. To be an American to be able to bring the home title back after what happened last year was a pretty amazing experience, and people appreciate it. Its not even congratulations. Its more, Thank you.Its been hectic but in a great way.Keflezighi knows some people will expect him to win New York. It wont be the end of his world if he doesnt.Hell do the proper amount of training, but at the same time, its not like I have to win New York. Not that I dont want to win New York. At the same time, its, been there, done that. Ive just got to go back to the basics and start workinng forward.dddddddddddd.Keflezighi points to last years New York City Marathon, when he was 23rd in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 47 seconds. It was his lowest finish and slowest time for a marathon. His training had been interrupted by injuries, and at one point he slowed to a walk.While other elite runners might grouse or offer excuses, Keflezighi ended up with a special moment. He and Michael Cassidy of Staten Island, whom he met before the race in the elite runners tent, ran the last three miles together. Approaching the finish, they held hands and then raised their arms aloft as they crossed the line.I won my age group, Keflezighi said with a laugh.Sure enough, the engraved crystal plate for winning the 35-39 age group is on a counter in his kitchen, near a box of breakfast cereal with his picture on it. It was made for him after he spoke at General Mills annual sales conference.A shot at the 2016 Olympics remains a possibility. The trials will be in Los Angeles.Since I know the date, Feb. 13, 2016, I guess Im gearing for it somehow, some way, he said.Keflezighi, 39, remains motivated by how his father, Russom, escaped Eritrea by walking 225 miles to Sudan. Because he had supported Eritrean rebels in their fight against Ethiopian soldiers, Russom Keflezighi felt it was too dangerous to remain. Five years later, he was able to get his family out.Meb was 12 when the family arrived in San Diego. He and eight of his siblings have received college degrees, while Admekom is attending San Diego State.For us it was never, Are we going to go to college? It was, When are we going to college? or Which college are we going to go to? said Keflezighi, who graduated from UCLA.Their half-sister, Ruth, grew up in Italy and moved to the United States first. She is the reason we came to San Diego, so she deserves an honorary degree for that, said Merhawi Keflezighi, who has a law degree from UCLA and is Mebs agent and business manager.Its a good bet Keflezighis Boston win will always be his career highlight.In the corners of his bib, Keflezighi wrote the first names of the four people killed in the bombing and manhunt.Not that we wanted 2013 to happen. But my energy was all on that race to be able to say, What can I do positively to change Boylston Street? I see the pictures that have been taken there, from the front, from the back, from the side; people are on their feet clapping or chanting U-S-A, U-S-A. It gives me great pride to have done that for the people.___Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson ' ' '