Braves Edge Diamondbacks 2-0 Behind Albies and Olson’s Ninth-Inning Home Runs

PHOENIX (AP) — In a thrilling display of power, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson opened the ninth inning with back-to-back home runs, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

The game remained scoreless through eight innings, thanks to stellar pitching performances from both teams. Grant Holmes, making his start for the Braves, was dominant, holding the Diamondbacks to just one hit over six innings. He matched zeros with Arizona’s Eduardo Rodríguez, who also put together a solid outing, keeping the Braves’ offense at bay for seven innings.

Holmes, who had struggled against the Diamondbacks in his previous two starts — allowing nine runs in nine innings last season — was nearly perfect in this contest. The only hit he allowed came in the sixth inning when Ketel Marte lined a single to left field with one out. Holmes walked three batters and struck out four, showing a level of command he hadn’t demonstrated against Arizona in the past.

In the eighth inning, Robert Suarez took over for the Braves and delivered a flawless performance, pitching a perfect inning. Raisel Iglesias followed with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal the victory, recording his first save of the season.

The game was decided in dramatic fashion in the ninth. Albies, who had been a standout all night with three of Atlanta’s six hits, led off with a powerful shot off reliever Paul Sewald. The 0-1 pitch was sent soaring over the right-field fence, marking Albies’ second home run of the year. Moments later, Olson followed with his own long ball, sending Sewald’s next pitch deep to left field for his second homer of the season. The back-to-back shots gave the Braves a 2-0 lead, and that’s all they needed.

Sewald (0-1) took the loss for Arizona, continuing the team’s struggles at the plate. The Diamondbacks have now lost four of their last five games and have scored only three runs in their past three contests, a concerning trend for a team hoping to contend in the competitive National League West.

Rodríguez, Arizona’s starter, was strong as well, tossing seven innings while allowing just four hits. He walked one and struck out three. This marks the first time in his career that the left-handed pitcher has opened a season with consecutive scoreless starts.

As for the Braves, the victory improved their record to 6-2 on the young season, showing their resilience in a tight game. Atlanta’s potent offense, which had been quiet for much of the evening, came alive just in time, with Albies and Olson delivering the game-winning blows.

Looking ahead, the Braves will continue their four-game series against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. RHP Bryce Elder (1-0) will take the mound for Atlanta, facing off against Michael Soroka (1-0) of the Diamondbacks in what promises to be another exciting matchup between two talented pitching staffs.

Up Next:

The third game of the four-game series will take place Saturday, with Bryce Elder of the Braves (1-0) facing Michael Soroka of the Diamondbacks (1-0).