ATLANTA _ A Miami Marlins pitcher hits the Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr with the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning at SunTrust Park. Sound familiar?
It happened on Aug. 15, 2018, when Jose Urena's 97.5-mph fastball plunked the rising outfielder, causing a benches-clearing brawl and resulting in Urena serving a suspension.
It happened again on Tuesday _ one year and five days later _ when Elieser Hernandez's 87.2-mph fastball inside got away and hit Acuna in the lower back.
The benches didn't clear this time, although Braves manager Brian Snitker was ejected and Acuna was visibly frustrated as he talked with umpires halfway down the first-base line as both teams were issued warnings.
Hernandez also wasn't ejected, although he received more ire from Braves fans when he plunked Adeiny Hechavarria three innings later.
The Braves, however, got the last laugh, beating the Marlins, 5-1, to begin the three-game series. Freddie Freeman drove in four runs for the Braves (75-52), hitting solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings while adding a two-run single in the seventh.
The Marlins (45-79) have lost 10 consecutive road games, 14 of their last 17 and are 4-13 this year against the Braves.
Hernandez left following the fourth inning with a right middle finger blister and is day to day. The 6-1, 209-pound righty held the Braves to one run _ a Freddie Freeman solo home run in the fourth _ while giving up three hits, two walks and the two hit-by-pitches. Hernandez struck out five and threw 68 pitches.
He escaped a two-out, bases-loaded situation in the fourth _ created by a Matt Joyce double, the Hechavarria hit-by-pitch and a Rafael Ortega walk _ by striking out Dallas Keuchel.
Hernandez gave up one earned run over 11 innings in three appearances (two starts) against the Braves this season, including six shutout innings in his last start against Atlanta on Aug. 8 at Marlins Park.
Jon Berti scored the Marlins' lone run in the third with a solo homer to right-center field, his fourth of the year and second this road trip.
Rookie second baseman Isan Diaz committed two errors in the span of three plays in the seventh, giving him four over the past two games.
