Ozzie Albies homers twice as Braves knock off the Blue Jays

Ozzie Albies homered twice as the Atlanta Braves got back into the win column with a 9-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

It didn’t take the Braves long to get to Toronto starter Sam Gaviglio. Johan Camargo led off the second with a solid single and then advanced to third on a hit by Dansby Swanson. Camargo then scored on a nice safety squeeze bunt by Mike Foltynewicz to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead. Luke Maile’s airmailed the throw to first which allowed Folty to reach safely with Swanson moving up to third.

Ender Inciarte kept things going as he jumped on a first pitch fastball and drove it into the right center gap to score Swanson to make it 2-0. Atlanta wasn’t finished. Ozzie Albies followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. Freddie Freeman then singled home Inciarte to make it 4-0. That would bring Nick Markakis who poked an a liner just inside the bag at third for a double that scored Freeman. Tyler Flowers would cap off the rally with an RBI single of his own to make it 6-0.

That would be it for Gaviglio who was pulled after allowing six hits and six runs in just 1 2/3 innings. He was replaced by Jake Petricka who promptly walked Camargo but retired Ronald Acuna Jr. to end the inning.

Albies extended the lead to 7-0 in the sixth with a long solo home run off Toronto reliever Luis Santos.

With the big lead, Foltynewicz took over and cruised through the middle innings before he ran into trouble in the seventh. Justin Smoak led off the inning with a solo home run to give the Blue Jays their first run of the night.

Folty then struck out Teoscar Hernandez and Randal Grichuk before allowing three straight hits to Lourdes Gurriel Jr, Aledmys Diaz and Luke Maile. That set up Devon Travis who jumped on a hanging slider and drove it out to right center for a grand slam to cut the lead to 7-5.

Foltynewicz’s line was deceiving as he was in control for most of the night. He exited having allowed six hits and five runs over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

Albies struck again in the eighth as he connected on a two-run home run to straight away center field to increase Atlanta’s lead to 9-5. Arodys Vizcaino came on and worked a scoreless ninth to secure the win.

Albies went 2-for-4 in the game with homers No. 19 and 20. He scored twice and drove in four. Freeman and Camargo also had two hits each.

Ender Inciarte was replaced in center field by Danny Santana in the fifth. Inciarte was hit by a pitch right above his right elbow in the first inning. He stayed in the game and doubled in the second but later exited.

Atlanta will enjoy another off day on Thursday before opening a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.