Pinch homer pinches Braves hopes to sweep Marlins

MIAMI — Tyler Moore seems to have R.A. Dickey’s number.

Moore slugged a three-run, pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning off of knuckleballer Dickey, helping the Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park ending a season-worst five-game losing streak.

“My numbers are decent against him,” Moore said.

Actually, that was an understatement. Moore is 4-for-6 with two homers and five RBIs in his career against Dickey.

Miami was trailing 1-0 when Giancarlo Stanton started the winning rally in the seventh with a leadoff double.

“That was a fairly good knuckleball, but it was just flat,” Dickey said.

With one out and Stanton on second, Dickey got to a 3-2 count against backup catcher A.J. Ellis. Aiming for the top of the strike zone, Dickey didn’t get the call on his next pitch, walking Ellis.

“A hitter who sees the knuckleball high is much more likely to swing,” Dickey said. “I tried to throw it to the top of the zone. I thought it broke late. Another day, another (umpire), and that was strike three.”

After Ellis, Dickey got the second out of the inning, retiring rookie J.T. Riddle. But Marlins manager Don Mattingly, knowing Moore’s history against Dickey, sent up his pinch hitter to bat for pitcher Kyle Barraclough.

Moore crushed the first pitch he saw for a homer to left-center, his first long ball in the majors since Sept. 20, 2015.

“(Walking Ellis) meant that other guy, Moore, was going to get a shot,” Dickey said. “He ambushed a tumbler.”

Moore, who was in Triple-A New Orleans just last Sunday, was asked if he enjoys pinch hitting.

“I don’t have time to fail, man,” said Moore, who has four pinch-hit homers in his major league career. “It’s the job I need to do for this team. I love being in the big leagues. Whatever is going to keep me here, I like.”

The Marlins (14-22) certainly enjoyed Moore’s heroics. After all, the team has lost six straight series and 14 of its past 18 games. This was welcome relief from the pain of losing.

“What is that?” Marlins manager Don Mattingly joked about the music heard in the team’s clubhouse, a foreign sound of late. “I forgot that song.

“It feels good, even for myself.”

Atlanta (13-21), which had been looking for a sweep of this three-game series, fell back into a virtual tie for last place with Miami in the National League East.

Nicolino, a left-hander who was called up from Triple-A New Orleans earlier Sunday and made his 2017 major league debut, allowed just one run in six innings but did not get a decision.

Reliever Barraclough (1-0) earned the victory. Closer A.J. Ramos pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Dickey, who was working on a potential shutout before Moore’s two-out homer, allowed five hits, three walks and three runs in seven innings.

Atlanta opened the scoring in the fifth. Ender Inciarte hit a leadoff single, advanced to second when Adonis Garcia was hit by a pitch and scored when Nick Markakis laced a two-out opposite-field single to left-center.

The Braves opened the seventh with consecutive singles by Garcia and Freddie Freeman.

However, Garcia was thrown out at third while trying to get to the corner on Freeman’s single. Marlins left fielder Marcell Ozuna made a strong throw that got there on the fly. The Braves did not score that inning.

Atlanta also failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in the first inning, and the Braves left 12 runners on base for the game. They hit 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

“We had opportunities with guys in the middle of our order,” Freeman said. “We just didn’t get it done today.”

NOTES: Braves LF Matt Kemp went 0-for-4 and had his 13-game hit streak snapped. … Miami optioned 2B Steve Lombardozzi to Triple-A New Orleans. … Atlanta rested two starters: C Tyler Flowers and 2B Brandon Phillips. Flowers is second in the majors with a .470 on-base percentage, minimum 80 plate appearances. Phillips went over 900 RBIs this weekend, which ranks 15th among active major-leaguers. … The Marlins are 8-19 when C J.T. Realmuto starts. The Marlins are 6-1 when C A.J. Ellis started as he did on Sunday. … Braves RHP Bartolo Colon starts on Monday when Atlanta visits the Toronto Blue Jays. … Marlins RHP Dan Straily starts Monday as Miami opens a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros.