ATLANTA (AP) — Nolan Arenado had two home runs and four RBIs, Eduardo Rodriguez threw six strong innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks routed the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night.
Arenado reached 20 home runs for the ninth time in his career. Ildemaro Vargas hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning, while Gabriel Moreno extended his hitting streak to nine games with three hits, scored three times and drove in a run. Corbin Carroll had a double,
triple and run scored, and Tim Tawa was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Rodriguez (12-4) surrendered a leadoff home run to Ronald Acuña Jr. and gave up a second run in the first inning, but settled down after that. He went six innings, giving up two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. The Diamondbacks have not walked a batter in the first two games of the series.
Jonathan Loáisiga and Kevin Ginkel pitched scoreless innings, and Phillip Abner gave up a run in the ninth.
The Braves had won the last seven times Grant Holmes started, but he struggled early and did not get out of the fourth inning. Holmes (7-5) gave up six runs on six hits and walked three. He had 13 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings entering the game.
Arenado drove in the Diamondbacks' first run with a ground ball in the second to score Moreno. His two-run homer in the third gave Arizona a 6-2 lead, and he added a solo home run in the seventh.
Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte sat out the game with left knee soreness.
Braves RHP Bryce Elder (8-7, 4.03) will face Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (8-3, 2.92) in the final game of the series Sunday.
___
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
