MIAMI (AP) — Second baseman Ozzie Albies returned from a broken left wrist Friday and was held hitless in the Atlanta Braves' 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins.
Albies was activated from the 10-day injured list for the final 10 days of the Braves' playoff berth pursuit. The switch hitter batted right-handed only and was 0 for 4.
“We know what he can do,” manager Brian Snitker said after the game. “It's still good to see him in that lineup, I'll tell you that.”
Albies had been sidelined since fracturing his left wrist in a July 21 loss to St. Louis. The three-time All-Star got hurt trying to catch a throw when Michael Siani stole second in the ninth inning. Siani slid into Albies as the infielder reached for the ball, bending back his glove hand at an awkward angle.
“He brings so much heart and soul to our game and the team,” Snitker said. “Who he is, how he plays, it’s hard to replace that. If you play the game the way Ozzie does, you’re going to play it right. Having him in there is just a huge spark for our club.”
Albies, who was hitting .255 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs before the injury, was second in the Braves order Friday, with Michael Harris II in the leadoff spot. Snitker said that was to get more speed at the top of the lineup.
“Just kind of a good mix with what Ozzie brings anyway,” Snitker said. “And then you got a couple of guys the can run up there at top of the order.”
Second baseman Cavan Biggio was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Atlanta is trying to earn a playoff berth without reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., who had a season-ending knee injury on May 26.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies follows a line drive to right field during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies practices his swing during batting practice prior to the start of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Jake Sanderson scored 15 seconds into overtime and the Ottawa Senators stretched their win streak to six games with a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
It’s the first time since March 2017 that Ottawa has won six in a row.
Shane Pinto scored twice for the Senators, Claude Giroux added a goal and Josh Norris scored short-handed. Sanderson also contributed a pair of assists.
Leevi Merilainen stopped 21 shots to earn his first NHL victory.
Brock Boeser scored twice for the Canucks, and Quinn Hughes had a goal and two assists. Jake DeBrusk rounded out the scoring for a Vancouver side that lost its third straight outing (0-1-2). Kevin Lankinen made 17 saves.
Canucks: The team has lost four of its last five outings and some of its top stars have gone cold offensively. J.T. Miller has not scored in the six games he’s played since returning from a 10-game absence, Elias Pettersson does not have a point in his last six outings and Conor Garland last recorded a goal on Nov. 29.
Senators: Merilainen stepped in for Linus Ullmark, who has been a superstar for Ottawa in recent weeks. Heading into Saturday, Ullmark had powered the team to five straight victories after backup Anton Forsberg went down with an injury during a pre-game skate on Dec. 14.
Boeser knotted the score at 4 with 4:50 left in the game when he blasted a rebound past Merilainen.
Hughes now has 40 points on the season (eight goals, 32 assists). He is the seventh defenseman in NHL history to hit the mark in 33 or fewer games in multiple seasons.
The Senators visit the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, and the Canucks host the San Jose Sharks on Monday.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Ottawa Senators' Jake Sanderson (85) scores on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) during overtime of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) stops the puck against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks' Brock Boeser, right, celebrates his goal against the Ottawa Senators with Quinn Hughes (43) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Ottawa Senators' Jake Sanderson (85) celebrates his game-winning goal with Brady Tkachuk (7) after overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
