MIAMI -- For his 32nd birthday, Drew Smyly got the following: an early lead, a big day from Austin Riley and some nifty defense from Ehire Adrianza.
And the Atlanta Braves held on for a needed win.
Riley homered and drove in three runs, Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) allowed two runs over five innings and the Braves snapped a four-game slide by beating the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Sunday.
"Anytime you get a win, it's a good feeling," Smyly said. "They're not easy. They just don't hand them out to teams. They're always a grind. This team has had a lot of ups and downs, but we know what we're capable of doing."
Riley reached base five times, going 3 for 3 with a walk and getting hit by a pitch. Ender Inciarte also homered for Atlanta, his shot coming one inning after he entered the game as an injury replacement for Ronald Acuna Jr., who departed with what the Braves said was right pectoral soreness.
"I don't see this being lingering," Braves Manager Brian Snitker said.
Starling Marte drove in three runs for the Marlins, who were bidding for their first sweep of Atlanta since 2016. Right-hander Pablo Lopez (2-4) went only 3 innings, giving up 4 runs and 6 hits and seeing his ERA rise from 2.76 to 3.12.
"The Braves had a plan," Lopez said, "and they executed it really well."
Smyly (3-3) almost got his first career RBI in his 43rd plate appearance. He lofted a liner to center with one out in the fifth; Marte caught it, then fired home -- and even after an awkward skip off the grass, Miami catcher Jorge Alfaro handled the throw and tagged out Adrianza to end the inning.
Adrianza made up for that a half-inning later.
The Marlins got two runs in the fifth off Smyly, with Marte getting an RBI single and later scoring on a wild pitch. But Smyly escaped the inning and became eligible for the birthday win when Adrianza fielded a high chopper to shortstop off the bat of Miami's Corey Dickerson and flipped it from his glove to first in time for the third out.
Miami got a two-run single from Marte in the seventh, and he kept the Marlins within two runs with a sensational running grab to save a run and retire Kevan Smith to end the Atlanta ninth.
"He tried to keep us in the game today," Marlins Manager Don Mattingly said of Marte.
NATIONALS 5, GIANTS 0 Kyle Schwarber became the sixth player in the history of the Washington Nationals and Montreal Expos franchise to hit a home run in both the first and second innings, driving in four runs as Washington beat San Francisco.
REDS 6, ROCKIES 2 Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run home run and Cincinnati beat Colorado to win for the 10th time in 13 games.
PADRES 7, METS 3 Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Jacob Barnes in the seventh inning, his 19th homer this season, and Manny Machado followed with a home run as San Diego beat New York.
BREWERS 5, PIRATES 2 Avisail Garcia hit a two-run home run off David Bednar as Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh to win for the 14th time in 16 games.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 18, RED SOX 4 Teoscar Hernandez hit a pair of three-run home runs over the Green Monster -- two of Toronto's eight long balls as the Blue Jays routed Boston.
MARINERS 6, INDIANS 2 Jake Fraley homered off AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber as Seattle beat Cleveland,
RAYS 7, ORIOLES 1 Randy Arozarena hit his first career grand slam, Tampa Bay relievers threw seven no-hit innings, and the Rays handed Baltimore its 15th consecutive road loss.
WHITE SOX 4, TIGERS 1 Carlos Rodon (6-2) took a no-hit bid into the seventh before Eric Haase's one-out double, and Chicago completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.
ASTROS 14, TWINS 3 Michael Brantley had his second four-hit game of the series with three doubles and four RBI as Houston defeated Minnesota.
ATHLETICS 6, ROYALS 3 Chris Bassitt won his seventh consecutive decision and Matt Olson homered twice for Oakland in a victory over Kansas City.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 7, YANKEES 0 Aaron Nola allowed 3 hits and struck out 9 in 7 2/3 innings, and Philadelphia completed a two-game sweep of New York.
DODGERS 5, RANGERS 3 Walker Buehler pitched six scoreless innings of five-hit ball to remain unbeaten since 2019, and Mookie Betts homered and scored three runs as Los Angeles held off Texas.
ANGELS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3 Max Stassi hit a two-run home run in the first, Patrick Sandoval pitched four-hit ball into the seventh and Los Angeles defeated Arizona to win its sixth consecutive game.
