ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Olson hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Kenley Jansen, ruining a dominant performance by Tarik Skubal and rallying the Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.
Jansen, who blew his third save in nine chances, walked Ozzie Albies to lead off the ninth. Olson followed with his ninth homer, a shot into Atlanta's bullpen to end the game.
Skubal fell behind on Ozzie Albies' two-run shot in the
first but gave up only three hits the rest of his seven-inning stint, with two of those runners wiped out by double plays.
The two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner gave the Tigers a bit of a scare in the seventh, rubbing his left arm after a 2-2 pitch to Olson to draw a visit from the trainer and manager A.J. Hinch. Skubal threw one warmup pitch, decided he was OK and struck out the side to end his night. He allowed five hits, fanned seven and didn't walk anyone.
But Jansen couldn't finish it for the Tigers.
Atlanta rookie JR Ritchie turned in another solid outing. He gave up three runs (two earned) in 5 1/3 innings, with five hits, four walks and four strikeouts.
Reynaldo López (2-1), who began the season as Atlanta’s No. 2 starter before being demoted to the bullpen this week, pitched two perfect innings for the win.
Atlanta has now won nine series this season without a loss.
Detroit tied it in the second, nicking Ritchie for two runs after he retired the first two hitters. Kevin McGonigle had a run-scoring single, reaching base for the 26th consecutive game as a starter, and the Tigers added an unearned run on Ritchie's errant throw to first on a pickoff attempt.
Ritchie didn't give up a homer on his very first pitch, as he did in his big league debut at Washington last week. But Riley Greene went deep in the third, launching a 417-foot drive into the center-field seats on a changeup for his fourth homer of the year.
Atlanta sends RHP Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.95 ERA) to the mound for the finale of the interleague set. Detroit counters with LHP Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.41).
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