Eli White homers twice, Dylan Dodd impressive as Braves beat Orioles

Dylan Dodd turned in another great performance and Eli White homered twice as the Atlanta Braves beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in a rain shortened game.

Dylan Dodd made his first appearance since facing the Dominican Republic’s WBC team and looked good early. He allowed a bloop double to Terrin Vavra to start the game, but retired the next three in order to leave the runner stranded. He struck out the side in the second fanning Jorge Mateo, Lewin Diaz and Ryan McKenna.

Heston Kjerstad greeted Dodd with a single to start the third, but he was erased as Maverick Handley bounced into a 5-4-3 double play. The Braves got on the board in the third as Eli White hit his second home run of the spring.

Dodd retired the side in order again in the fourth with the first coming on a nice sliding catch by White in right field. Atlanta added on in the fourth. Marcell Ozuna reached on a fly ball down the left field line that fell in for a double. Jordan Luplow brought him home with a single to center to extend the Braves’ lead to 2-0. That would bring up White who struck again homering to left center to push the lead to 4-0.

Dodd would give way to Raisel Iglesias to start the fifth inning. He was impressive again allowing just two hits over four scoreless innings. He struck out four and didn’t walk anyone.

Iglesias allowed an infield single to Mateo, but he was erased when Diaz lined to Matt Olson at first who stepped on the bag to complete the double play. Iglesias then got Ryan McKenna to ground out to end the inning.

The Orioles battled back to take the lead in the sixth against Jackson Stephens, who was making his second appearance of the spring. Heston Kjerstad got things started with a solo home run to right to make it 4-1. Stephens then walked Maverick Handley before Vavra flew out to Harris in center for the first out. Ramon Urias followed with a double to right-center and Kyle Stowers brough home another run with a single of his own. Josh Lester then cleared the bases with a three-run shot to put Baltimore in front 5-4. That would end the day for Stephens who was replaced by Trey Riley who retired the next two hitters to end the inning.

The Braves didn’t waste any time retaking the lead in the home half of the sixth. Luplow got things started with a one-out double off the wall in left. White then reached again on an infield pop fell amongst the infielders. Orlando Arcia flew out for the second out, but Braden Shewmake then brought everyone home with a triple to right-center to put Atlanta back in front 6-5.

Dylan Lee took over in the seventh with rain falling. He retired the first two hitters before Jackson Holliday reached on an infield single. The game then entered into a rain delay and was subsequently called.

White finished the game with three hits and is now 10-for-23 on the spring with two doubles, a triple and three home runs. Luplow just missed a homer and recorded his first two hits of the spring. Atlanta finished the game with 10 hits.

The Braves will travel to Clearwater Tuesday for a matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies where Bryce Elder is scheduled to make his fourth appearance of the spring.