HOUSTON – The readings resembled the recording of daily temperature checks required of them in the postseason bubble: 96, 97, 98, 96, 97, 97, 95, 95. Such were the velocities of pitches the Atlanta Braves hammered Thursday from Miami Marlins pitchers for hits or, in one case, a sacrifice fly. All but three of the Braves’ 10 hits and all but one of their runs in a 7–0 win that clinched a National League Division Series sweep resulted from fastballs at 95 or faster.
The Marlins were fiercely proud of their young pitchers’ velocity. They had the highest average pitch velocity of any team in the postseason (92.