Marlins Edge Braves 8-6

The Miami Marlins picked up an 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday in Kissimmee.

With the victory, the Marlins moved to 3-6 in the spring. While wins and losses are utterly meaningless at this point of the year, playing solid baseball remains important. Miami displayed some good fundamentals and some timely hitting in this victory. The bullpen nearly let the game get away, just one day after blowing another late lead.

Dee Gordon flashed some power early on to help Miami to the win. The slender second baseman is not known for his home run swing, but it worked in this game. Gordon has been picking up extra-base hits at a decent clip in the spring, and is hitting .300 overall.

Destin Hood also showed off some power with a three-run home run in the fifth inning. The homer was the first of the spring for Hood, as he continues to try and win a role on the bench. Hood is likely going to begin the year in AAA, but his .308 average thus far could open some eyes.

One of Hood's main competitors for a roster spot is Tyler Moore, and he continued his strong spring in Saturday's win. Moore was 1-3 with a run scored, and is hitting a robust .455 in the Grapefruit League thus far.

Severino Gonzalez made the start for Miami, and did a decent job. Gonzalez walked a pair, but did not allow a run in his two innings of work. The 24-year old is not expected to break camp with the team, but could see time in the big leagues during the season.

Atlanta scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth, to trim the deficit from eight to just two. The runs were charged to Stephen Fife and Jake Esch, with the bulk coming against the latter. Esch saw time in Miami during 2016, and could again if a need arises.