Braves beat Marlins 9-1 behind Chris Sale and 3-run homers from Austin Riley, Dominic Smith

MIAMI (AP) — Austin Riley and Dominic Smith hit three-run home runs, Chris Sale allowed just one run and struck out eight over seven innings, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 9-1 on Wednesday night.

Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II singled twice and Ronald Acuña Jr added a base hit for the NL-leading Braves.

Sale (7-3) limited the Marlins to four hits and picked up his seventh win after losing his previous two starts. The 2024 Cy Young winner had not beaten Miami in three career starts entering Wednesday, previously going 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA.

Sale settled in after allowing a leadoff walk to Xavier Edwards — who scored for a 1-0 lead on Heriberto Hernández's sacrifice fly. The left-hander did not allow a hit his final three innings.

Riley gave the Braves a 3-1 lead with a 415-foot drive off Janson Junk's first-pitch sweeper, the third baseman's first hit after starting the series 0 for 8.

Junk (2-5) retired 11 straight after Riley's home run before Acuña's leadoff single in the sixth, followed by consecutive base hits by Harris, Matt Olson and Albies to stretch the lead to 5-1.

Smith put the game out of reach with his 389-foot shot to center that ended a 12-pitch at-bat. Junk was lifted after allowing eight hits and striking out three over five innings.

Smith reached again in the eighth on a triple to center, then raced home on a throwing error by Esteury Ruiz.

Riley drew the first walk of the game against Tyler Phillips in the eighth.

Pinch-hitter Eli White, who returned Wednesday from concussion protocol, doubled in the ninth against position player Javier Sanoja.

Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.45 ERA) starts Thursday's series finale against Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.53).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Miami Marlins pitcher Janson Junk delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley, right, celebrates with third base coach Tommy Watkins (84) after hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Miami Marlins right fielder Esteury Ruiz (3) reaches for the home run ball hit by Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II catches a fly ball hit by Miami Marlins' Heriberto Hernández, not pictured, during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley, right, celebrates hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the reigning champion and 17-time winner of Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, will compete in the July 4 spectacle while on probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge.

Chestnut was accused of slapping a man on the face during a night out at an Indiana bar, his attorney, Mario Massillamany, said. He entered a guilty plea April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in Hamilton County.

A judge has granted him permission to travel outside the state, allowing Chestnut to defend his title and the signature Mustard Belt on Coney Island this summer.

“It truly was just a misunderstanding,” Massillamany told The Associated Press. “Joey understood that he wanted to accept responsibility for his actions, and he did.”

When police questioned Chestnut, he said he was drunk and did not remember the altercation, according to Us Weekly. Massillamany said that was “taken out of context” and Chestnut was nervous when speaking to officers before he had an attorney.

Richard Shea, the co-founder and president of Major League Eating, which oversees the Nathan's Famous contest, said the altercation did not affect Chestnut's competition eligibility.

“This incident did not violate Major League Eating’s code of conduct, as it occurred outside any organizational event or activity and it was addressed by local authorities,” Shea said.

At the Nathan's Famous contest last year, Chestnut took back the title by eating 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes after he missed the 2024 contest due to a competing sponsorship. Nathan's had temporarily banned him from competing after he signed an endorsement deal with the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.

Chestnut most recently won the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Tennessee for the third straight year, consuming 16 pounds of sausage in 8 minutes to set a new world record.

FILE - Joey Chestnut eats hot dogs during the 2025 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in the Coney Island section of the Brooklyn borough of New York, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)