Acuña hits 464-foot homer in Braves’ 5-2 win over Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a 464-foot home run, Spencer Strider struck out seven in six effective innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the streaking Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 on Saturday night.
Scuffling at the plate lately, the Braves had 11 hits to end Arizona’s six-game winning streak.
Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario had run-scoring singles against Rhyne Nelson (2-4) to help the Braves go up 3-0 through five innings. Atlanta scored another run on a double play in the sixth inning and Acuña followed by hitting his 12th homer onto the concourse behind the seats in left-center.
Strider (6-2) allowed two runs on three hits with four walks. Raisel Iglesias worked around a single in the ninth for for his sixth save in seven chances.
Jesse Chavez escaped a big jam after Strider left, allowing a run on hit by pitch after Arizona loaded the bases with one out in the sixth inning. He struck out Pavin Smith and Ketel Marte looking to end the inning.
Evan Longoria hit a solo homer for Arizona, which was held to six hits.
Strider moved into Atlanta’s rotation a year ago in the desert and has dominated since.
The flame-throwing right-hander returned to the desert leading the majors in strikeouts (106) and hit 100 strikeouts faster than any pitcher since 1863, eclipsing the mark in 61 innings.
Strider wasn’t quite as overpowering against the Diamondbacks, working through traffic in every inning. He managed to work out of it until Longoria left no wiggle room with a towering homer to left leading off the fifth inning.
Strider was replaced by Chavez after giving up a leadoff single to Emmanuel Rivera in the seventh.
Nelson allowed three runs and six hits with four walks and no strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
SCORING CHANGE
Carroll’s walk-off hit in Thursday’s game against Colorado has been changed from a single to a double. The two-out double in the 6-5 win was the first walk-off hit of Carroll’s career.
TRAINER’S TABLE
Braves: LHPs Max Fried and Dylan Lee have started throwing as they work toward returning. Fried has been out since May 6 with forearm tightness. Lee has been sidelined since May 19 with shoulder inflammation.
UP NEXT
Atlanta RHP Michael Soroka (0-1, 6.00 ERA) faces Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (7-2, 2.72) in Sunday’s series finale.
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