Braves extend winning streak to nine with 4-2 win over Pirates

The Atlanta Braves continue to roll as they extended their winning streak to nine-straight with a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Spencer Strider made his first home start for Atlanta and was electric striking out four over the first three innings. The Braves pushed across a pair of runs in the home half of the third. Michael Harris singled with one out and then moved all the way to third on a single by Ronald Acuña Jr. Acuña was thrown out trying to steal second, but Dansby Swanson followed with a two-run home run off of Roansy Contreras to put Atlanta up 2-0.

The Braves added another run in the fourth. Travis d’Arnaud singled with one out and moved up to second on an error by left fielder Travis Swaggerty. Ozzie Albies then doubled off the bricks in right center to extend the lead to 3-0.

They struck again in the fifth as Harris led off the inning with a walk. After a fly out by Acuña, Swanson singled through the middle. Harris turned on the jets and went first to third to put runners at the corners. Contreras then struck out Austin Riley, but Matt Olson lined a single to left that scored Harris to make it 4-0.

Strider continued to put up zeroes and came back out for the sixth. He struck out Ke’Bryan Hayes to begin the inning before allowing a single to Bryan Reynolds. After Daniel Vogelbach flew out for the second out, Michael Chavis singled to right to put runners at the corners. That would be it for Strider who was replaced by Dylan Lee who struck out Cal Mitchell to end the threat.

Strider was excellent allowing four hits and a walk over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out eight while throwing 92 pitches.

Lee stayed in and retired the first two hitters of the seventh with the second coming on a leaping catch by Acuña in right on a fly ball by Michael Perez. Darren O’Day came in and struck out Jack Suwinski to close out the inning.

Jackson Stephens took over on the mound in the eighth and struck out Hayes to begin the inning before Reynolds hit a sharp line drive off his leg. The Braves training staff and manager Brian Snitker came out to check on him but he stayed in the game. Stephens wasn’t as sharp afterwards. Daniel Vogelbach followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Michael Chavis then golfed a ground rule double to left that scored Reynolds to make it 4-1.

Snitker would then go to his bullpen again and bring on A.J. Minter. Mitchell lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored Vogelbach to make it 4-2. Minter then got Tucupita Marcano to fly out to end the inning.

Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth to end the game.

Swanson accounted for three of Atlanta’s 10 hits. Acuña and Harris finished with two hits each. Atlanta was 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

The series will continue Saturday with Charlie Morton matching up against Zach Thompson.