MIAMI _ The wheels were already starting to come off for Caleb Smith by the time Don Mattingly trudged out of the dugout, upset at a balk call which pushed a pair of Atlanta Braves into scoring position in the top of the fifth inning. Back-to-back singles by the Braves' No. 7 and 8 hitters opened the frame, and the Miami Marlins' ace was in trouble even before balking those two to second and third.
It was only the start of a meltdown for the starting pitcher, who has been easily the Marlins' most reliable pitcher throughout 2019. Mattingly got ejected. The Braves scored one run on a sacrifice fly, then two more on a home run by Ronald Acuna Jr. By the end of the inning, a one-run deficit for Miami had ballooned all the way to six. A sixth loss in seven games _ this time 8-4 at the hands of a division rival at Marlins Park _ was inevitable.
The Braves scored five runs in the inning. They sent 10 batters to the plate, collected six singles and belted a home run, chasing Smith and Mattingly from the game in the process. By the end of the marathon top of the fifth, Atlanta had stretched the lead to 6-0 and dug into Miami's bullpen.
Smith, who entered Friday with a 3.36 ERA, lasted only 4 2/3 innings. He gave up a season-worst six earned runs and a season-worst 10 hits _ four more hits than he has given up in any other game this season. The Braves tagged him for a pair of home runs, the 19th and 20th he has given up this year. His ERA climbed to 3.71.
One inning gave the left-handed pitcher his worst outing of the year and erased the Marlins' chances at a comeback win in front of 8,057 in Miami.
Until the fifth inning, Smith matched Julio Teheran. The Marlins (43-72) connected for four hits in the first four innings against the starting pitcher. Atlanta (69-49) connected for three against Smith. The only difference was a solo home run by second baseman Ozzie Albies, the second batter of the game.
The top of the fifth began with a single to left field by catcher Tyler Flowers and then another by outfielder Ender Inciarte. Smith (7-6) stared down Teheran (7-7) and then looked in disbelief at John Bacon when the home plate umpire called him for a balk. Bench coach Brian Schneider screamed at the ump from the dugout as Mattingly charged on to the field to argue his starter's case.
The manager got ejected. Smith couldn't regroup.
Teheran laced a sacrifice fly out to right field and Brian Anderson's throw was off-line just enough for Flowers to sneak past catcher Jorge Alfaro's tag.
The biggest blow came a batter later from Acuna. On the first pitch of the at-bat, the outfielder cranked a line-drive homer to left-center field and the Braves' lead stretched to 4-0. Two more singles by Albies and Freddie Freeman kept the rally going, and two more singles by slugger Adam Duvall and utility player Charlie Culberson pushed the lead to 6-0.
Smith left the game after all nine batters went to the plate. His worst start of the season was over.
