Who gets the last shot? Jazz, Acuña trade off

MIAMI -- One already is a superstar and a NL MVP candidate. The other is an emerging rookie. Neither is lacking in confidence or swagger.

Ronald Acuña Jr. and Jazz Chisholm Jr. traded highlights in the Marlins’ 4-3 win vs. the Braves on Friday night at loanDepot park. Both reached base three times, as the NL East rivals squared off for the first time since April 12-15, when Miami took three of four in Atlanta.

“Every time I play against the Braves and I see him out there, I say, ‘I've got to win,’” Chisholm said. “I'm not going to lie, it's just like something about him on the other side and knowing that he's probably like the best player in the league right now, as in who's hot right now. Seeing him do his thing every day in and out, and every time he gets a hit, I go up to the box and be like, ‘I can't let him show me up. I've got to do it too. I've got to do better.’

“He has fun on the field as well. It's more like, it's going to be a fun series and I wouldn't want to play with nobody else. It's fun going up against him, honestly. Like he has the excitement that I want to [have], and I want to go on the field every day and be like, ‘OK, good. You think you're going to do this to my team? I'm going to come back and do it to your team now. It's cool.’”

Chisholm provided a basketball analogy for the matchup: Who will get the last shot and win the game for his team?

Top of the first

Acuña leads off with a walk, steals his 12th base on the year and comes around to score on Ozzie Albies’ RBI single.

Bottom of the first

Chisholm, who dyed his hair purple after going with blue all season, counters with a single. Though he would be negated by a fielder’s choice, Adam Duvall evens the score later in the frame with a sacrifice fly.

Bottom of the second

Chisholm lines out for the final out.

Top of the third

Acuña hits his first of two doubles, scoring on Albies’ RBI double off Sandy Alcantara to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.

Top of the fourth

William Contreras sends a ball to the hole at short, and Chisholm makes a jump throw -- reminiscent of Marlins owner Derek Jeter -- to record the second out of the inning. Contreras, a catcher, had a sprint speed of 28 ft/sec on the play (above league average at 27 ft/sec).

Bottom of the fourth

The Marlins put together a three-run inning against Charlie Morton, with Chisholm knocking the go-ahead two-run single with two outs. Chisholm credits watching the approaches of veterans like teammate Jesús Aguilar and the Phillies’ Bryce Harper with runners in scoring position.

"We all have seen the growth of Jazz," Alcantara said in Spanish. "It is good for him and the team when he plays like that. If he keeps doing the right things here, he is going to go far and help us a lot. It is a joy to watch him play. He is a very dynamic player, and we hope that he can continue like that."

Bottom of the sixth

Chisholm walks with two outs, but he is stranded at first.

Top of the seventh

Acuña trims the deficit to one with an RBI double off Richard Bleier.

Top of the ninth

Acuña strikes out swinging with the tying run at first and no outs.

Acuña, 23, has been a mainstay atop Atlanta’s order since July 20, 2018, of his rookie campaign. Three years later, he is battling the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the home run title. He is a potent speed-power threat and five-tool player. Like Acuña, Chisholm, 23, began his rookie season further down the lineup before taking over the leadoff spot on April 21. He entered Friday with the third-highest OPS among MLB rookie qualifiers, bumping it up to .853 with his performance in the series opener.

“Pretty talented dudes right there at the top of both clubs," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "They're dynamic. Those are just quick-twitch, fast-twitch, bat-speed guys. Jazz is at the beginning of it. Obviously, Acuña's a couple of years in now and looking pretty polished in about everything he does. Those guys are exciting, they're fun to watch when they're getting on base and all over the field. A couple of fast-twitch guys that are fun to watch."