Medlen pitched 4 2-3 scoreless innings, then left the Braves' 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins when he was hit by a line drive for the second time.
"I'm surprised the balls hit him because usually he makes those plays. He's that good of an athlete," Gonzalez said. "I think we dodged a bullet with him getting hit."
Rob Brantly lined a single off Medlen's left shoe with one out in the fourth, and Casey Kotchman hit the right-hander's pitching arm in the fifth. Medlen was replaced for precautionary reasons by Jonny Venters.
"It's tightening up a tad bit, but I don't
Brantly's liner hit the tip of Medlen's spikes before ricocheting toward shortstop.
"I wear 10 1-2 shoes, but I wear 11 in cleats," Medlen said. "So it was nowhere near my foot."
Medlen struck out three and 33 of his 49 pitches were strikes. The balls off Medlen were the Marlins' only hits.
"He was really sharp," Gonzalez said.
Miami's Chris Valaika led off the third by hitting a long fly to left-center—much closer to center—where left fielder Justin Upton tracked it down on the warning track while his brother, center fielder B.J. Upton, watched.
"B.J.
Freddie Freeman homered off Nathan Eovaldi leading off the second, his third home run of spring training. Chris Johnson added a tiebreaking single against Jonathan Albaladejo with two outs in the ninth.
Eovaldi gave up three hits and struck out four in five innings.
"Playing under the lights is just a different atmosphere," Eovaldi said. "We're so used
Venters forced in a run in the sixth when he walked four straight batters.
B.J. Upton had a single and double in three at-bats for the Braves and is batting .429 (18 for 42).
NOTES: Miami used the designated hitter; Atlanta did not. ... The Marlins reassigned RHP Jose Fernandez and OF Jake Marisnick to minor league camp. RHP Chris Hatcher was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans (Pacific Coast League). Fernandez, Miami's top prospect, is expected to start the season at Double-A. "He was very impressive. His day will come," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. ... Gonzalez said Matt Kennelly probably won't be able to catch


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