In a game dominated by the two starting pitchers, it was Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson who stepped to the plate with the score 0-0 in the ninth inning and answered the bell to give the Braves their third consecutive win and improve their record on the young season to 6-2.
Albies stepped to the plate against veteran reliever Paul Sewald and hammered a ball down the right field line to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. Chase Field erupted with a big contingent of Braves fans in attendance.
Olson followed with a solo blast of his own three pitches later, a no-doubter to center field to go back-to-back and make it 2-0. Olson has absolutely mashed throughout his career in Chase Field, and it appears the desert has gotten his season on track in a hurry.
Grant Holmes was superb over six innings, flirting with a no-hitter until Ketel Marte finally broke the seal with a single in the bottom of the sixth. That was the lone hit Holmes would surrender in addition to three walks. He struck out four and generated 14 whiffs on 85 pitches.
In relief of Holmes, the trio of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias brought the win home. The Braves pitching staff through the first week of the season has been, to put it mildly, stellar.
A night after scoring 17 runs, the Braves were pretty helpless against veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. They had a scoring opportunity in the first and sixth innings with two runners on, but they were unable to capitalize and support Holmes’ efforts.
The four-game tilt continues tomorrow night with Bryce Elder set to face old friend Michael Soroka, who pitched really well in his season debut against the Tigers earlier in the week. It’ll be a 7:15 p.m. ET first pitch on FOX.
