The frustration of the Marlins’ 11-1 loss to Atlanta on Tuesday night could be reflected in the sixth inning, when Jesús Aguilar smashed a hot grounder tracked at 109.9 mph right at third baseman Austin Riley, who threw to first to complete the third out.

Opportunities were few for the Marlins, and the misfortune of not cashing in on Aguilar’s hot shot loomed large as the Braves received home runs from Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman the next inning among their five homers -- including two from Marcell Ozuna -- and breezed to victory at Truist Park.

• Box score

In the process, the Braves clinched their third straight National League East title. The Marlins (28-27) entered the four-game series with an outside chance at winning the division, but they were mathematically eliminated from that race with Atlanta’s second straight win.

Still, it was far from a lost night for the Marlins, because the Nationals swept a doubleheader against the Phillies (27-29) to keep them Marlins in second place in the NL East. Even after enduring its third straight loss, Miami had its magic number to finish second in the division trimmed to three with five games remaining; the first- and second-place teams in each division automatically qualify for the postseason, along with two Wild Card teams.

“Once you get in with this format that we have -- you know if you get in and you have pitching, you have a chance,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It's just the hot team wins. I've been in enough of them. It's not the best team that necessarily wins. It's the hottest team that wins these things. We've got to keep going and work ourselves in and win some games here.”

Before the Braves broke things open late, the Marlins made it interesting in the sixth inning. Starling Marte’s homer off Josh Tomlin made it 4-1. Matt Joyce singled, and if Aguilar’s hot shot had gotten past Riley, Miami may have been able to close the gap even more.

“This game is funny,” Mattingly said. “There's times when those balls are all dropping for you. Everything you hit is a hit, and balls are bouncing your way. We've got to create that, give ourselves more chances [and] get on base.”

Like the Braves, the Marlins are aiming to build a sustainable winner through a deep homegrown system. About five years ago, Atlanta was going through its own building process. Now, it’s the team to beat in the division.

“They're pretty good,” Mattingly said. “Obviously, they've shown they're a tough team to deal with, as far as their offense. They've been banged up a little bit, and still they keep throwing arms at you. They've been, obviously, the class of the division over the last few years, and [at] different times, over long periods of time. They're the gold standard, the guys you’ve got to go after.”

• Notes: Prospects in taxi squad; elite speed

For the second straight night, the Marlins had a potential rally turned aside by Riley at third. In Monday’s 5-4 loss, with the bases full and two outs, Marte ripped a 110.6-mph liner at third base for an out.

Ozuna, a former All-Star outfielder with the Marlins, had home runs in the first and eighth innings and a key two-out, two-run double in the fifth inning off José Ureña, capping an 11-pitch at-bat.

The road trip doesn’t get any easier for the Marlins, with two more in Atlanta before finishing with three at the Yankees.

“Sometimes, we are trying to do too much,” Ureña said. “Sometimes, things don't go the way you want. We've got to keep focused and keep our heads up all the time. Sometimes, you're thinking about something and worrying about something. You have to have fun.”