The 2014 MLB season is only a month underway. Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez is well-aware the preserving arm strength will be crucial for Atlanta down the stretch which is why he pulled Aaron Harang from his last start even with a no-hitter intact. Now, the right-hander returns in hopes of repeating the performance in an afternoon game against the Miami Marlins.
Harang was up to 121 pitches through seven innings when he was pulled. The pitcher had walked six and struck out five during the potential no-hitter performance. However, Gonzalez believed his pitch count was far too high to try and achieve the perfect performance. The potential no-hitter was just another impressive performance for Harang's career with the Braves. The pitcher is 3-1 with an 0.70 ERA to start the season. The first-year Brave has held opponents to a .110 average while allowing just two or less hits in three games.
Harang has never had that kind of success against the Marlins. In 13 career starts, he has a 5-4 record and a 6.26 ERA. He is hoping to win out a pitcher's duel after the Braves failed to win on Tuesday night. Jose Fernandez kept Atlanta to three hits in eight innings while Alex Wood gave up just one run and four hits in eight innings. The two young pitchers looked more than impressive, but in the end Giancarlo Stanton hit the game-winnings double.
Right now, the Braves rotation is one of the best in the league. They have given up more than two earned runs just once this season while maintaining an MLB-best 1.50 ERA. Keeping that will be the key to their season. The Marlins have an excelling rotation of their own. In the past seven games they have an 0.93 ERA and are 5-2 after losing eight straight.
Nathan Eovaldi will take the mound for Miami. The pitcher has a 3.55 ERA to start the season with a 7.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He allowed three runs in six innings in his last start against the Seattle Seahawks. In his career against the Braves, Eovaldi is 101 with a 2.19 ERA including 15 scoreless innings.
