Andy Ibanez and Jacob Wilson both drove in their first two runs of the season to help the visiting Athletics earn their first victory of the year, beating the Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Tuesday.
The A’s had lost four straight games to start the season for the first time since 2021.
Ibanez went 2-for-4, scored a run and drove in two. Wilson was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. The Athletics, who were shut out on Monday, went 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
A’s starter Aaron Civale (1-0), signed as a free agent in the offseason, looked solid in his first start of the season. He worked five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and one walk, striking out three, and posted his first career victory against Atlanta.
The bullpen covered the final four innings for the Athletics, with Hogan Harris, Justin Sterner, Scott Barlow and Mark Leiter Jr. each pitching a scoreless frame.
The Braves made it interesting in the ninth, placing runners at first and second with one out. But Leiter struck out Ronald Acuna Jr. and retired Drake Baldwin on a popup to earn his first save.
The losing pitcher was opener Jose Suarez (0-1), who pitched 3 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits and three walks, with six strikeouts. Joel Payamps followed and allowed one run in one inning and Martin Perez worked the final 4 1/3 innings without giving up a run.
Atlanta scored in the first inning on a solo homer from Baldwin, his third.
The A’s answered with three runs in the second. Ibanez drove in one with a single and Wilson hit a bases-loaded ground-rule double to add two more.
Ibanez drove home Max Muncy, who led off with a double, in the fourth. Shea Langeliers hit a solo homer, his fourth, in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Braves cut into the lead in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Acuna.
–Field Level Media
