Dominic Smith lobbed an opposite-field home run just inside the left-field foul pole to highlight a three-run rally and help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Saturday.
With the game tied 3-3, the Braves rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth. They executed their second double steal of the game, this time with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson on base, and Ozzie Albies broke the tie with his second sacrifice fly. Smith, who went 2-for-3, followed with a two-run homer.
Smith’s sixth home run of the season extended Atlanta’s streak of consecutive games with a home run to nine games.
The winning pitcher was Spencer Strider (4-1), who worked five innings and allowed three runs on five hits and two walks. He posted a season-low three strikeouts.
Dylan Dodd, Dylan Lee, and Tyler Kinley followed with a scoreless frame each, and Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth to earn his 13th save.
Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft (5-3) took the loss. He pitched five innings and matched his season high by allowing six runs. Ashcraft allowed nine hits and struck out five.
The Braves got a run in the first inning. Acuna singled, advanced to third on Maurico Dubon’s base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Albies. Austin Riley followed with an RBI double in the left-field corner that scored Dubon.
It was the first time in Ashcraft’s career that he had allowed a run in the first inning.
The Braves took a 3-0 lead on a double steal. After Dubon singled and Albies was hit by a pitch, the Braves sent both runners. Catcher Endy Rodriguez’ throw to second base sailed into center field and Dubon easily scored.
The Pirates got two runs back in the fourth on an RBI double by Nick Gonzales and double by Tyler Callihan, then tied the game with a run in the fifth inning on Brandon Lowe’s sacrifice fly.
Lowe had to leave the game in the ninth after fouling a pitch off his right knee.
–Field Level Media
