MIAMI (Interstat) — The Atlanta Braves continued their dominance at loanDepot Park on Thursday, May 21, 2026, defeating the Miami Marlins 9-3 in a game that saw Spencer Strider improve to 2-0 on the season and Sandy Alcantara absorb his third loss. An announced crowd of 8,834 watched the Braves pound out 13 hits to Miami’s six, with the game lasting 2 hours, 45 minutes. Atlanta improved to 35-16, while Miami fell to 22-29.

The Braves seized control early. In the first inning, Ronald Acuña Jr. singled, then Michael Harris II launched his 10th home run of the season to center field, scoring Acuña for a quick 2-0 lead. After a scoreless bottom half, Mike Yastrzemski led off the second inning with his third homer of the year, a solo shot to right-center, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Miami answered in the third when Owen Caissie hit his fourth home run, a solo blast to right-center, trimming the deficit to 3-1. The Marlins struck again in the fourth. Kyle Stowers, who had singled earlier, homered to right-center for his second long ball of the season, making it 3-2.

The pivotal moment came in the fifth inning. Yastrzemski led off with a single, and Ha-Seong Kim followed with a single to center, putting runners at first and second. Chadwick Tromp sacrificed them over on a bunt, advancing Yastrzemski to third and Kim to second. Acuña then grounded a single through the middle off Alcantara, scoring both runners and extending Atlanta’s lead to 5-2. The Marlins left a runner on base in the bottom half but could not cut further into the advantage.

Atlanta tacked on a run in the sixth. Dominic Smith singled and later scored on a double by Yastrzemski, though Yastrzemski was thrown out trying to take third on the play. The Braves led 6-2.

Miami answered again in the seventh. Stowers, who had already homered once, belted his third home run of the season, a solo shot to right-center, making it 6-3. But the Braves restored their cushion in the eighth. Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch, Smith followed with a double to left, and after a strikeout, Mauricio Dubón delivered a two-run single to center, scoring Albies and Smith. The score moved to 8-3. In the ninth, Harris hit his second homer of the game, his 11th of the season, a solo shot to center for a 9-3 advantage.

Strider earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings, striking out nine and walking one. Alcantara took the loss, surrendering six runs on nine hits in six innings with three strikeouts and no walks. The Braves’ bullpen held Miami scoreless over the final three frames.

Key performances for Miami included Cade Gibson, who pitched two innings of relief and allowed two earned runs on three hits while striking out four; first baseman Christopher Morel went 1-for-3 with a walk; and pinch-hitter Heriberto Hernández went 1-for-2. Right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks worked one inning, allowing one earned run on one hit with two strikeouts. For the Braves, Harris finished with two home runs and four RBIs, Acuña had two hits and two RBIs, and Yastrzemski contributed a single, double and home run for three hits and two RBIs.

The victory gave Atlanta its third win in the four-game series, following a 9-1 win Wednesday, an 8-4 win Tuesday, and a 12-0 loss Monday. The Braves have won five of their last six games overall, while the Marlins have dropped six of their last eight.

Atlanta heads home to face the Washington Nationals starting Friday, May 22, before a road trip to Boston and Cincinnati. Miami hosts the New York Mets beginning Friday, then travels to Toronto and New York.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Atlanta 6, Miami 4, and its ELO system gave Atlanta a 59.40 percent probability to win. The Braves were installed as pregame favorites with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of 12 runs went under the over-under line of 7.5.