EditorsNote: adds quotes
Rookie right-hander Ian Anderson tossed 5 2/3 strong innings and Dansby Swanson and Travis d'Arnaud homered for the second consecutive game, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in Houston.
The victory gives the Braves a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series.
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, with Atlanta's Kyle Wright looking for the clincher against Miami's Sixto Sanchez.
Darren O'Day, Tyler Matzek, Will Smith and closer Mark Melancon did not allow a hit over the final 3 1/3 innings to shut the door on the sixth-seeded Marlins.
Anderson (1-0), who started a 5-0 shutout win over Cincinnati last week, was brilliant once again. He allowed a double by Brian Anderson and two singles while striking out eight and walking one.
"It doesn't seem like the moment ever matters to him," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Anderson. "He just keeps pitching and trusting his stuff. His changeup was really good. I thought the ball was coming out of his hand really good. They didn't have really good swings at him. There's a lot to worry about this kid when he's facing you."
Anderson, 22, did most of his pitching with a lead after Swanson ended a run of five straight batters retired by Marlins starter Pablo Lopez (0-1) with a 403-foot shot to center field. Swanson's blast gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Atlanta, the NL's second seed, doubled its advantage on d'Arnaud's solo homer in the fourth.
Swanson and d'Arnaud were among three Braves who homered in Tuesday's 9-5 win in Game 1.
Lopez was pulled after five innings, having allowed just the two runs on three hits. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Brian Anderson's double came with one out in the top of the fourth with Miami down just 1-0. He did not advance past second, however, as Ian Anderson induced Garrett Cooper and Matt Joyce to fly out.
Miami manager Don Mattingly said, "We did have a few chances. We just weren't able to get anything across. Didn't feel like we hit a bunch of balls hard the whole day -- I think either team, quite honestly."
Ian Anderson was replaced with two outs and a runner at first in the sixth inning, having thrown 94 pitches.
O'Day came on and loaded the bases by hitting Brian Anderson with a pitch and walking Cooper before getting Joyce to ground out.
Miami's only baserunner in the final three innings was the product of an error by Swanson at shortstop in the eighth.
Relievers Richard Bleier, Brad Boxberger and Brandon Kintzler kept the Marlins within striking distance with three innings of one-hit, shutout relief, but the Braves still wrapped up their fourth consecutive postseason victory.
--Field Level Media
