With family on hand, Georgia native Pauley's HR a special Truist Park moment

ATLANTA -- Georgia native Graham Pauley was all smiles in the Marlins’ dugout after mashing a Statcast-projected 352-foot homer over Truist Park’s right-field wall.

Pauley’s homer capped a five-run outburst in the second frame, but Miami could not hang on in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta in the series opener on Thursday night.

It was Pauley’s second home run in as many games and third this year, but this one marked his most memorable individual moment of the season. And perhaps his career.

“It means a lot,” Pauley said. “It’s something I dreamed of as a kid, hitting a homer in this park.”

The Marlins added another run in the fourth inning courtesy of an RBI single from Agustín Ramírez, but It was a disappointing loss for a Miami squad (56-58) looking to get above .500 for the first time since April 13.

Ramírez’s hit gave Miami a 6-2 lead, but Braves rookie catcher Drake Baldwin led a late-inning comeback. Baldwin accounted for five of Atlanta’s eight runs, with four RBIs coming courtesy of two long balls -- a solo shot and a three-run homer.

Smiles have been frequent for Pauley over the past couple of games. The Marlins third baseman beamed unabashedly on Wednesday at loanDepot park as teammates donned his head with a home run hat following his insurance blast in Miami’s 6-4 win over Houston.

But the grin Pauley flashed on Thursday night was different.

It had a childlike aura to it -- the type of grin you’d see from a little one who just smacked his first homer over the backyard fence.

For Pauley, that’s basically the Major League equivalent to what he did against Atlanta. The 24-year-old rookie hails from nearby Alpharetta, Ga. (approximately 30 minutes from Truist Park). He made a pair of appearances at this ballpark during Miami’s first road trip here April 4-6, going 1-for-6 with one double and one walk in the first two games of that series.

But Pauley, a Milton High School graduate, has frequented Truist Park throughout his life, having visited numerous times as a kid, and even playing here as a high school All-Star.

Pauley’s second Major League trip to Atlanta displayed that familiarity.

In his first at-bat against Braves starter Carlos Carrasco, Pauley worked his way into a 3-2 count after fouling off a pair of changeups. Carrasco opted to throw his sinker on the seventh offering of the battle, and though it was his first of the at-bat, Pauley knew just what to do with it, pulling the middle-middle pitch over the right-field wall.

Pauley then proceeded into the most exuberant home run trot of his career: He practically tiptoed amongst the clouds en route to home plate, pointing towards his family’s seating section just behind Miami’s dugout as he rounded third.

They, in large part, were the reason behind his smile.

“[I had] a few people -- a lot of people here tonight,” Pauley joked. “So it was cool to do it in front of them, and they’re happy for me.

“[I] definitely [have] my parents [to thank most for helping me get here]. Mom and Dad are here tonight. They’ve been through everything since I was a little boy playing baseball. From high school to college, to now, they’ve believed in me all the way. It means a lot. ... It’s always great to see family and friends.”

That presence can only inject more belief into a young player who’s recognizing growth in that area of his game.

“I think it’s just a lot of confidence,” Pauley commented on what’s contributed to his recent success. “I think the first few times I’ve been in the big leagues, I think I kind of lacked that confidence. And I think this time, I've kind of cleared my head a little bit, and been able to go out there and play.

“I made some swing changes, some timing adjustments. But I think just the stuff that I've been working on and that confidence goes a long way.”