First baseman Nick Johnson, out since Aug. 16 with a strained right hamstring, was activated from the disabled list Thursday and inserted into the starting lineup just in time. Johnson returned at a time when two other Marlins regulars were nursing injuries. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez missed a second consecutive start Thursday with a tight left hamstring, and right fielder Jeremy Hermida is out because of a right rib strain that forced him out of Wednesday's game after the sixth inning. Andy Gonzalez was called up from Class AAA New Orleans and started at shortstop.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez said he expected Ramirez and Hermida to miss a few games, but Ramirez pinch-hit Thursday and delivered an RBI single in the sixth inning of an 8-3 win over Atlanta. Emilio Bonifacio pinch-ran for Ramirez and stayed in the game.
Gonzalez was one of five players in the starting lineup who spent time this year at New Orleans. Center fielder Cameron Maybin (making his first start for the Marlins since May 7), right fielder Brett Carroll and left fielder Chris Coghlan played for New Orleans, as did starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco, who was demoted for a brief minor league stint.
MARLINS 8, BRAVES 3: Hanley Ramirez and Cody Ross didn't start, but each delivered run-scoring hits in a six-run sixth inning that helped the Marlins split their four-game series with the Braves. The Marlins were trailing 3-1 going into the sixth inning. RHP Ricky Nolasco notched double digits in wins for the second year in a row, getting his 10th win after allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven.
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