MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — Austin Riley and Dominic Smith each hit three-run home runs, Chris Sale allowed one run over seven innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 9-1 on Wednesday night at loanDepot Park. Riley’s homer in the second inning gave Atlanta a 3-0 lead. Smith added his blast in a five-run sixth that extended the lead to 8-1. Sale (7-3) struck out eight, gave up four hits and walked none, winning after losing his previous two starts. The Braves collected 11 hits, including two each from Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II. Smith finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Riley was 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Miami managed four hits. Its only run came in the first on Heriberto Hernández’s sacrifice fly. Marlins starter Janson Junk (2-5) allowed eight runs in five innings. Attendance was 9,617. The game lasted 2 hours, 27 minutes. Atlanta improved to 34-16; Miami dropped to 22-28.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — Chris Sale pitched seven strong innings and the Atlanta Braves erupted for five runs in the sixth inning to beat the Miami Marlins 9-1 on Wednesday night at loanDepot Park. Sale, who improved to 7-3, allowed four hits and one earned run while striking out eight. He walked none and threw 41 of his 55 pitches for strikes, with seven balls and seven balls in play. The left-hander rebounded from a loss in his previous start against the Chicago Cubs on May 14, when he gave up no earned runs over six innings but got no support. Sale’s only blemish Wednesday came in the first inning, when the Marlins pushed across a run on a sacrifice fly by Heriberto Hernández. Atlanta, which improved to 34-16, answered immediately. Trailing 1-0 in the second inning, the Braves loaded the bases on singles by Ozzie Albies and Mauricio Dubón before Austin Riley launched a three-run homer to center field, his eighth of the season, putting Atlanta ahead 3-1. The Braves broke the game open in the sixth. Ronald Acuña Jr. singled, Michael Harris II singled, and Matt Olson drove in Acuña with a single. Albies followed with an RBI single, then Dominic Smith crushed a three-run homer to right-center, his fifth, making it 8-1. Smith finished 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Atlanta tacked on another run in the eighth when Smith reached on a fielding error by right fielder Owen Caissie and later scored on a throwing error by center fielder Esteury Ruiz. Sale exited after seven innings, having struck out the side in the fourth and sixth. Victor Mederos pitched two perfect innings of relief, striking out two and retiring all six batters he faced. Mederos threw 15 strikes among his 18 pitches, with two balls and one ball in play. Atlanta pitchers combined for seven strikes, 41 balls and seven balls in play, while Miami pitchers recorded 15 strikes, 40 balls and 15 balls in play. Miami starter Janson Junk took the loss, falling to 2-5. He allowed five runs on six hits over three innings, walking none and striking out two. Tyler Phillips threw three scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and striking out two. Javier Sanoja pitched a scoreless eighth, giving up one hit and striking out one. Otto Lopez had two of Miami’s four hits, going 2-for-4. Xavier Edwards singled and scored the Marlins’ only run on Hernández’s sacrifice fly. Liam Hicks went 0-for-3. Atlanta outhit Miami 11-4. Harris II had three hits, and Albies had two hits and an RBI. Eli White doubled in a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth. Mike Yastrzemski was 0-for-4 with a walk, and Sandy León went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. The game lasted 2 hours, 27 minutes in front of 9,617 fans. The victory gave Atlanta a 2-1 series lead after splitting the first two games. The Braves lost 12-0 on Monday but rebounded with an 8-4 win Tuesday. Atlanta, winners of eight of their last 11, will seek a series win Thursday before returning home to host the Washington Nationals. Miami fell to 22-28. The Marlins have lost four of their last five and will conclude their homestand with the series finale Thursday before welcoming the New York Mets. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Atlanta Braves 5, Miami Marlins 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Atlanta a 58.50 percent probability to win. Atlanta was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 10 went under the over-under line of 7.5.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — The first-place Atlanta Braves look to build on a series-opening win Wednesday night when they face the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EDT, with rain expected and temperatures near 82 degrees. Atlanta (33-16) sends left-hander Chris Sale (6-3) to the mound. The veteran has been a key piece of the league’s best record. Sale will face a Marlins lineup that managed just four runs in Tuesday’s 8-4 loss to Atlanta. Miami counters with right-hander Janson Junk (2-4). The Marlins (22-27) have struggled to string together wins, losing three of their last four. The Braves won 8-4 on Tuesday behind a strong performance from Martín Pérez, who struck out 10 over five innings and earned the win. Pérez has been a reliable arm out of the bullpen and as a spot starter, posting a 3.60 ERA over his last seven appearances. For Miami, reliever Michael Petersen has been effective recently, allowing no runs and no hits over 1 1/3 innings Tuesday with one strikeout. He has not allowed an earned run in six of his last eight outings. Atlanta’s offense has been potent all season. Outfielder Michael Harris II went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs on Tuesday, and first baseman Matt Olson drove in three runs. The Braves lead the National League in runs scored. Miami’s lineup has been inconsistent. The Marlins were shut out 12-0 by Atlanta on Monday but exploded for 10 runs in a 10-5 win over Tampa Bay on Saturday. The series continues Thursday before Atlanta returns home to face Washington. Miami hosts the New York Mets for three games starting Friday. According to Interstat’s game simulator, the Braves are projected to win 5-4. Atlanta is a -1.5 run-line favorite, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Wednesday’s game is the third of a four-game set between the NL East rivals.