Bryce Elder, Michael Harris lead Braves past Guardians
The Atlanta Braves pounded out three more home runs and ran their winning streak to nine-straight games with a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
Bryce Elder allowed a leadoff single to Steven Kwan and a two-out walk to Josh Naylor in the first, but got Andres Gimenez to line out to Ronald Acuña Jr. in right to end the inning. Elder retired the first two hitters in the second, before Myles Straw doubled to left. He moved to third on a wild pitch by Elder, but Bo Naylor popped out to Orlando Arcia at shortstop to leave him stranded.
Gavin Williams issued a pair of walks, but nothing else over the first two innings. He got Orlando Arcia to ground out to start the third, but Michael Harris took him deep for a solo shot to put Atlanta in front 1-0.
Acuña followed Harris with a single to right and then picked up his 40th stolen base of the season. However, he appeared to injure his shoulder on the slide. The Braves’ training staff came out to check on him, but he stayed in the game. Ozzie Albies followed with a single to right that scored Acuña to increase the lead to 2-0.
Given a lead, Elder went back to work in the third. He allowed a one out single to Amed Rosario, but then got Jose Ramirez to fly out on a nice sliding catch by Eddie Rosario. Rosario stole second, but Elder got Naylor to ground out to Olson to leave another runner in scoring position.
Atlanta added on in the third as Marcell Ozuna jumped on a fastball away and drove it out to right for another solo shot to make it 3-0.
Elder retired the side in order in the fourth and Harris took Williams deep again with one out in the fifth to push the lead to 4-0.
Elder kept right on plugging along in the sixth. He walked Ramirez to start the inning, but then struck out Naylor, got Gimenez to fly out and Josh Bell to ground out to end the inning.
Elder came back out for the seventh and ran into some trouble. He retired Will Brennan to start the inning, but then allowed another single to Straw. Bo Naylor popped out to Austin Riley in foul territory, but Kwan followed with a double to left center to put runners at second and third. Amed Rosario then delivered a single to left that scored Straw and Kwan to cut Atlanta’s lead to 4-2. That would be it for Elder as he was replaced by A.J. Minter who got Ramirez to pop out to Matt Olson on the infield to end the threat.
It was another good performance for Elder who allowed seven hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one while throwing 92 pitches.
Minter returned to start the eighth and retired Gabriel Arias for the first out, but then allowed a double off the wall in center to Gimenez. Bell lined out to Rosario, who flagged it down with a sliding catch, for the second out. Minter then fell behind early and walked Brennan to put runners at first and second. That would be it for Minter as Brian Snitker summoned Nick Anderson from the pen to face Straw. Anderson fell behind in the count 3-0, but then got him to ground out on a 3-1 pitch to end the threat.
Raisel Iglesias retired the side in order in the ninth to pick up his 15th save of the season.
With the win, Atlanta extends their winning streak to nine-straight games and move to 30 games over .500 at 57-27. They will go for another series win Tuesday with Kolby Allard matching up against Shane Bieber.
Source: Battery Power
