ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Atlanta Braves rookie catcher Drake Baldwin took Miami Marlins starter Eury Perez deep twice within the first six innings of Thursday’s 8-6 victory at Truist Park.
It was the first multi-home run game of Baldwin’s major league career.
Baldwin’s solo shot in the first inning off Perez put Atlanta in the lead and was quickly followed by a solo home run from Marcell Ozuna, marking the seventh time the Braves have had back-to-back home runs this season and the first time since June 5, when Baldwin went back-to-back with Ronald Acuña Jr. against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Marlins answered back by teeing off six runs off Braves starter Carlos Carrasco in the second inning, but Baldwin’s second home run – 3-run shot in the sixth inning – put the Braves within one run.
#Braves Drake Baldwin with home runs No. 12 (404 ft) and 13 (422 ft) tonight. It’s the first multi-home run game of his MLB career.
The 24-year-old is running away with the NL Rookie of the Year.pic.twitter.com/84FZAM3PFu
— Aaron Schmidt (@ASchmidtSports) August 8, 2025
Baldwin’s 13 home runs are tied with Chicago Cubs’ Carson Kelly for fourth among NL catchers, trailing just Colorado’s Hunter Goodman (22), teammate Sean Murphy (16) and Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith (14).
With Ozuna’s struggles haunting Atlanta’s lineup, manager Brian Snitker recently opted to alternate Baldwin and Murphy at designated hitter position while the other catches. Together, Baldwin and Murphy combine for 23% of the team’s total home runs this season.
To top it all off, Baldwin tied the game in the seventh inning on an RBI-single off Marlins reliever Josh Simpson that drove in infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr., his third hit of the game.
Ozuna singled in Jurickson Profar to put the Braves ahead.
Baldwin is currently in a race with Milwaukee Brewers rookies Isaac Collins and Jacob Misiorowski for the National League Rookie of the Year award. The 24-year-old Baldwin is now slashing .287/.356/.840 with 46 RBIs in 83 games this season.
Atlanta continues its series against Miami on Friday at 7:15 p.m.