MIAMI _ Mike Foltynewicz was the Braves' best starter in this early season before getting his doors blown off by the Cardinals last time out. He was back in good form Friday and finally got solid support both in the field and at the plate.
Tyler Flowers had four RBIs including his first home run and Foltynewicz pitched six strong innings in an 8-4 series-opening win at Marlins Park, snapping the Braves' six-game losing streak and Foltynewicz's personal skid.
Foltynewicz (1-4) was charged with six hits, one run and no walks with four strikeouts in six innings before leaving for a pinch-hitter with two on and none out in the seventh inning.
It was only the second win in 10 games and sixth win in 20 for the Braves (12-20), who have one fewer loss than free-falling Miami (13-21). The Marlins have dropped four in a row and 13 of 16 since a 10-8 start. The Braves are a majors-best 33-15 at Marlins Park since the retractable-dome stadium opened in 2012, including 8-3 since the beginning of last season.
Flowers' two-run homer in the second inning gave the Braves a lead they never relinquished, But it was a thin 2-1 margin until a six-run outburst in the seventh, an unusual inning that began with Flowers being hit by a pitch, was capped by Flowers' two-run single and included a run scoring on a bases-loaded balk.
Brandon Phillips also had a two-run single in the seventh after Marlins manager Don Mattingly decided to intentionally walk Ender Inciarte to load the bases with one out. Foltynewicz was replaced by pinch-hitter Emilio Bonifacio after the first two in the inning reached base (Bonifacio put down a sacrifice bunt).
Because Foltynewicz was still the pitcher of record, he was credited with six support runs that inning _ one more than he got in five previous starts combined.
The Braves lost every game Foltynewicz pitched in this season before Friday, including five starts and one relief appearance. His 0-4 record in that span matched his longest losing streak, despite his 2.81 ERA through his first five outings before the seven-run, four-inning whipping by the Cardinals a week earlier.
He got two extra days' rest after off days in the schedule and came out sharp, allowing four singles (three of the infield variety) and a hit batter through four scoreless innings before Justin Bour led off the fifth with a towering homer to the second seating deck in right field.
Foltynewicz responded to that homer in encouraging fashion, settling back into a groove and recording nine outs in the last 10 batters he faced instead of getting upset over his mistake pitch or disagreements with the umpire's strike zone.
It was the Braves' first win since May 2 against the Mets. They had a rainout, two scheduled days off and six losses between those wins 10 days apart.
Marlins starter Jose Urina made his second start of the season after being moved from the bullpen due to injuries to other starters. The right-hander entered with a 1.69 ERA, pitched a perfect first inning including a strikeout of Freddie Freeman, and induced a double-play grounder from Adonis Garcia after consecutive singles by Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis to start the second inning.
Next up was Flowers, and he drove the first pitch over the left-field fence for a 2-0 lead. Those were the only runs allowed by Urena, who gave up six hits and two walks in six innings. But when the Marlins bullpen took over in the seventh, the Braves feasted, beginning with a pair of right-handers Brad Ziegler (one out, three runs) and Kyle Barraclough (one out, two unearned runs).
