Austin Riley, Kyle Wright lead Braves over Astros, 6-2

The Atlanta Braves continued their good homestand with a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros Friday night at Truist Park.

Kyle Wright experienced some arm fatigue after his last start in Boston and was given a few extra days of rest as a result. It didn’t take him long to dial back in. Wright allowed an infield single to Jose Altuve to start the game and then retired seven straight before issuing a one-out walk to Martin Maldonado in the third. He then shattered Altuve’s bat on a grounder to Dansby Swanson who started the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The Braves got on the board against Lance McCullers in the third. Ronald Acuña Jr. singled to right with one out and then moved up to second on an infield single by Swanson. Austin Riley followed with his 31st home run of the season to put Atlanta in front 3-0.

Wright retired the side in order in the fourth, but Kyle Tucker led off the fifth with a long home run over the Braves’ bullpen in right center to cut the lead to 3-1. Trey Mancini followed with a single. Wright struck out Jeremy Pena for the first out of the inning but then gave up another single to Chas McCormick. He then struck Martin Maldonado with a sinker down for the second out, but couldn’t escape as Altuve followed with a single to left to score Mancini to make it 3-2. Wright came right back and struck out Yuli Gurriel swinging to escape with no further damage.

Wright allowed a two out triple to Tucker again in the sixth, but got Trey Mancini to bounce back to the mound to end the inning. That was significant as the Braves would add on in the home half of the frame. Michael Harris led off the inning with a double. Harris was originally called out, but the call was overturned by replay. After Robbie Grossman struck out, Acuña worked a walk. Swanson made them pay with a double off the wall in right center that scored both runners to make it 5-2.

Riley followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Swanson scored to make it 6-2 on a sacrifice fly by Matt Olson.

Wright would give way to Collin McHugh in the seventh. He turned in another solid outing allowing six hits, a walk and two runs over six innings. Wright struck out seven while throwing 84 pitches.

McHugh struck out two in a scoreless seventh. He came back out for the eighth and added another strikeout to his total in a scoreless inning. Kenley Jansen allowed a leadoff double to Alex Bregman in the ninth, but then retired the next three hitters to end the game.

With the win, the Braves improve to 74-47 on the season. The series will continue Saturday with Spencer Strider matching up against Astros righty Cristian Javier.