The Braves have had the Marlins’ number for most of the season, winning six of 10 in the regular season and then the first two games of the National League Division Series. Now they are one win away from punching their ticket to the NL Championship Series.

After blanking Miami, 2-0, in Game 2 on Wednesday at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, Atlanta has a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Although the venue remains the same, the Marlins will be the home team on Thursday after being the designated visitors the first two games.

“We’d like to win [on Thursday],” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You’re never guaranteed tomorrow, that’s for sure. We’ll judge guys in the bullpen, who’s available. We might want to stay away from a couple of guys, knowing they’d be available for the next two days. We’ll talk about that and see where everybody’s at.”

For the Marlins, having their backs to the wall is nothing new. The team has dealt with adversity all season, beginning when 18 players tested positive for COVID-19 the first week of the season. 

“I think it’s this whole two-month season, going into this, has been big for our guys,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “This type of baseball is really good for us, but I mean, I know we’re talking about this like it will be good for us next year. [Thursday] is our main focus right now.”

Mattingly is taking the approach that the Marlins don’t have to win three straight. They only have to win on Thursday.

“We can’t think about winning three, we have to think about winning one,” he said. “And then the momentum turns and puts a little more pressure on them.”

When is the game and how can I watch it?
The game will air on FS1 at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday. It is also available to stream on MLB.TV with authentication.

What do the starting lineups look like?
Braves: Dansby Swanson, who homered in each of the first two games, hit a three-run homer off Miami's Thursday starter, Sixto Sánchez, who lasted just three innings on Sept. 23. The Braves forced the young hurler to throw 75 pitches that night, but two weeks earlier, the impressive rookie threw six scoreless against them.

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., CF
2. Freddie Freeman, 1B
3. Marcell Ozuna, DH
4. Travis d’Arnaud, C
5. Ozzie Albies, 2B
6. Dansby Swanson, SS
7. Adam Duvall, LF
8. Nick Markakis, RF
9. Austin Riley, 3B

Marlins: Jazz Chisholm gets his first career postseason start, hitting sixth and playing at second base. Jon Berti returns to the leadoff spot, with Corey Dickerson dropping to second in the order. Jesús Aguilar starts at first base for the first time in the playoffs, with Garrett Cooper in the designated-hitter spot. Magneuris Sierra has been starting in place of the injured Starling Marte in center. Hitting in the eighth spot, Sierra provides a speed dynamic at the bottom of the order. Chad Wallach is in the lineup mainly because of how he’s handled the pitching staff, not so much for his offense.

1. Jon Berti, RF
2. Corey Dickerson, LF
3. Jesús Aguilar, 1B
4. Brian Anderson, 3B
5. Garrett Cooper, DH
6. Jazz Chisholm, 2B
7. Miguel Rojas, SS
8. Magneuris Sierra, CF
9. Chad Wallach, C

Who are the starting pitchers?
Braves: Kyle Wright

As Wright makes his first career postseason start, he’ll attempt to extend the success he had while producing a 2.37 ERA over his final three regular-season starts, each of which lasted at least six innings. HIs success since returning from a midseason demotion to the alternate training site has been a product of improved command and a more effective two-seam fastball. His decision to move to the right side of the rubber has helped reduce the control issues that plagued him when he issued six walks over three innings against the Marlins on Aug. 14. He issued just six walks over his final 19 innings of the regular season.

Marlins: Sixto Sánchez

Concerns about how the rookie sensation would handle the playoff stage were tempered in his first postseason start. Last Friday, in Miami’s closeout 2-0 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Sánchez threw five shutout innings, striking out six. That impressive outing came after he labored in his final two starts of the season, allowing nine runs in seven innings. One of those outings came against the Braves on Sept. 23, when he yielded four runs.

“I’m confident with Sixto every time he goes out there,” Mattingly said. “Quite honestly, other than the one inning [on Tuesday], the big inning, it’s been pretty good pitching from our side. We’ve thrown the ball pretty well.”

Sánchez has gotten an extra day of rest since his start at Wrigley, where seven of his pitches were tracked by Statcast at 100 mph or higher. His four-seam fastball averages 98.5 mph, and opponents hit .210 off the pitch. His changeup averages 89 mph; opponents bat .148 against it.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Braves: Having won the first two games of this series, Atlanta could choose to protect closer Mark Melancon, Will Smith, Tyler Matzek and Darren O’Day, all of whom pitched in the first two games. But with Shane Greene, Chris Martin, A.J. Minter and Jacob Webb among those available, the Braves have plenty of solid high-leverage options. They also could get some valuable innings from veteran Josh Tomlin, who can provide multi-inning assistance if necessary.

Marlins: With his team’s season in the balance, Mattingly made it clear it’s “all hands on deck” in regard to the pitching. Lefty Richard Bleier and right-handers Brad Boxberger and Brandon Kintzler each threw one inning on Wednesday in their first action of the series, and they’ll be available. The Marlins are carrying 14 pitchers, so they have plenty of options to navigate through on Thursday. Long-relief options are rookies Nick Neidert and Braxton Garrett. Yimi García and James Hoyt, who threw on Tuesday, also are ready.

Are there any relievers who are unavailable?
Braves: Snitker indicated that there will be some guys he would like to avoid using on Thursday. He would likely steer clear of using O’Day or Matzek on three consecutive days, and may only turn to Melancon or Smith if absolutely necessary.

Marlins: Right-hander Ryne Stanek threw 32 pitches on Tuesday but wasn’t used on Wednesday. He should be available, but he has thrown the most pitches of any reliever thus far in the series.

Any injuries of note?
Braves: None

Marlins: None

Who is hot and who is not?
Braves: d’Arnaud is 6-for-15 with two homers and a 1.337 OPS through the first four game of the postseason. He has seven homers and a 1.016 OPS over 27 games dating back to Sept. 1.

Marlins: The Marlins managed just three hits in Game 2, and Brian Anderson had one of them. (He went 1-for-2 with a walk and hit by pitch.) In the first two games of the series, Anderson is 4-for-6. Catcher Chad Wallach is hitless in six at-bats, with two strikeouts.

Anything else fans want to know?
Braves: Atlanta will be bidding to win a fifth straight playoff game for the first time since it won six straight in 1999 (NLDS Game 2 to NLCS Game 3).

Marlins: Miami is a perfect 7-0 all-time in playoff series and won the World Series in 1997 and 2003, the only two times the franchise was in the postseason. But now, trailing by two games and facing possible elimination, that streak is in jeopardy.