Braves homer four times in 6-3 win over Rangers

The Atlanta Braves homered four times in support of Ian Anderson to secure a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers.

The Braves didn’t waste anytime getting on the board. Travis Demeritte singled to lead off the game and then came around to score on Austin Riley’s sixth home run of the season. That was Riley’s second homer in as many games and ties him with Ozzie Albies for the team lead.

Ian Anderson retired the side in order in the first. Adolis Garcia cut the lead in half with a solo shot to left to make it 2-1. Demeritte continued to provide a spark in the third when he roped a line drive to center that Garcia was unable to make a play on. Demeritte kept right on running and came all the way around for an inside the park home run. That was Atlanta’s first inside the park homer since Dansby Swanson in 2016.

Marcell Ozone followed with a single before Spencer Howard loaded the bases with back-to-back walks to Ozzie Albies and Adam Duvall. Howard would give way to left-hander Brett Martin who struck out Guillermo Heredia to leave the runners stranded.

Anderson allowed a single to Andy Ibanez and a walk to Marcus Semien in the third, but retired Corey Seager and Garcia to escape with no damage. Atlanta tacked on two more runs in the fourth. William Contreras led off the inning with his first home run of the season to extend the lead to 4-1.

Dansby Swanson followed with a double to left. After Demeritte struck out, Matt Olson reached on an infield single to Semien who airmailed a throw to third that allowed Swanson to score on the play. Olson was thrown out trying to advance to second and replay upheld the call.

Contreras did it again in the sixth connecting on a 435 foot blast to left center to push the lead to 6-1.

Anderson retired eight straight hitters before Semien doubled to lead off the sixth inning. He moved over to third on a ground out by Seager and then scored to make it 6-2 as Garcia grounded out to Albies. Anderson would exit after the sixth having allowed three hits and two runs over six innings. He walked two and struck out five while throwing 90 pitches.

The Rangers put two runners on in the seventh against Jesse Chavez, but Tyler Matzek got Nick Solak to fly out to leave them stranded. Will Smith took over in the eighth and surrendered a solo home run to Seager to cut Atlanta’s lead to 6-3. Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the win.

The Braves win their second straight game and improve to 10-11 on the season. The series will continue Saturday night with Bryce Elder matching up against Dane Dunning.