Braves begin homestand with 6-3 win over Cardinals

The Atlanta Braves jumped out to an early lead and then overcame a long rain delay in a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dakota Hudson’s struggles began in the first inning. Dansby Swanson stayed red hot with a double and then came into score on a single by Matt Olson to make it 1-0.

Atlanta added on and put up a big number in the second. Travis d’Arnaud singled and then advanced all the way to third on a hit by Marcell Ozuna. Eddie Rosario struck out in his first plate appearance since returning from the injured list for the first out. Phil Gosselin then grounded to third and Nolan Arenado threw home to catch d’Arnaud in a run down for the second out. However, Hudson wouldn’t be able to escape as he hit Michael Harris and then issued a four-pitch walk to Ronald Acuña Jr. to force in a run and make it 2-0.

That would bring Swanson to the plate who fell behind 0-2, but then worked the count back full. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Swanson got a slider he could handle and drove it into the left center gap for his second double of the game. Three runs scored to push the lead to 5-0.

Olson then pulled as single through the right side that scored Swanson to extend the lead to 6-0.

Kyle Wright held the Cardinals scoreless through the first three innings before they finally broke through in the fourth although it could have been much worse. Nolan Gorman singled and then moved up to second as Juan Yepez lined 110 mph single off the top of the wall in left field. Dylan Carlson then grounded into what looked like a 6-4 force play, but replay showed that Phil Gosselin never touched the bag. With the bases loaded and one out, Conner Capel lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored Gorman to cut Atlanta’s lead to 6-1. Wright recovered and got Austin Romine to bounce back to the mound to avoid further damage.

Rain began to fall before the fourth inning was over and the game entered into a delay before the fifth inning could start. The game resumed after a two hour and thirty seven minute delay with Jesse Chavez taking over on the mound replacing Wright who allowed three hits and an unearned run in four innings.

Chavez allowed a couple of singles in the fifth, but was able to escape unscathed. He wasn’t as fortunate in the sixth as he served up a leadoff homer to Yepez to make it 6-2. After a strikeout by Dylan Carlson, Conner Capel homered to straight away center to make it 6-3.

Darren O’Day struck out two in a scoreless seventh. Dylan Lee allowed a two-out double to Dylan Carlson, but struck out Edmundo Sosa to leave him stranded. The Will Smith experience was in full effect in the ninth. Smith walked Austin Romine to begin the inning and then balked him to second. He struck out Tommy Edman for the first out but then allowed a single to Brendan Donovan to put runners at the corners for Goldschmidt who walked to load the bases. Smith came back and struck out Nolan Arenado for the second out and then got Albert Pujols to bounce back to the mound for the final out.

With the win, the Braves improve to 47-34 on the season and keep pace with the Mets who defeated the Reds. The series will continue Tuesday with Ian Anderson matching up against rookie right-hander Andre Pallante.