Ronald Acuña Jr. led the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Acuña Jr. had a stellar performance, slugging three hits and contributing an RBI double in the fourth inning. The win marks Atlanta’s second consecutive victory against the Pirates after losing three in a row.
The game took an exciting turn in the eighth inning when Michael Harris II scored on a close call after tagging up on a shallow fly ball to right field by Austin Riley. Jared Triolo fielded the ball while backpedaling, but Harris managed to slide into home plate just before the throw from the second baseman. Initially called out, the call was reversed following a review, giving the Braves a 6-5 lead.
The Braves got off to a strong start, scoring their first four runs with two outs in the second, third, and fourth innings. Harris drove in the first run with an RBI single in the second, followed by Sean Murphy’s bloop single that doubled the lead in the third. Acuña Jr. extended the Braves’ lead to 3-0 with his double to left in the fourth. He later scored on Ozzie Albies’ single off Quinn Priester.
However, the Pirates mounted a comeback in the fourth inning, tagging Max Fried for four runs. Triolo’s RBI single, along with runs scored by Endy Rodriguez and Ke’Bryan Hayes, tied the game at 4. Fried, who had recently returned from a left forearm strain, lasted just four innings, allowing four runs on six hits.
Albies put the Braves ahead 5-4 in the sixth inning with his second RBI single of the game. But Hayes quickly responded for the Pirates, hitting his seventh home run of the season in the seventh inning off Collin McHugh to tie the game once again.
In the end, the Braves managed to secure the win thanks to their impressive offensive performance and strong bullpen. Pierce Johnson picked up the win after pitching 2/3 of an inning, while Raisel Iglesias closed out the game with his 22nd save.
Looking ahead, the Braves will send RHP Bryce Elder to the mound in the series finale on Thursday afternoon. He will face Pirates LHP Bailey Falter, who is still seeking his first win of the season with an 0-7 record.
With a MLB-best record of 72-40, the Braves continue to dominate the league and showcase their championship aspirations. The team’s resilience and ability to come out on top in close games like this one have solidified their position at the top of the standings. As the regular season nears its end, the Braves will look to maintain their momentum and make a deep playoff run.
