Ozzie Albies belted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in the rubber match of the series between divisional leaders.
Orlando Arcia opened the eighth with a single off Elvis Peguero (1-3). Arcia was forced at second when Michael Harris reached on a fielder’s choice. Ronald Acuna Jr. singled to center and Albies followed with his 23rd homer, sending the first pitch 407 feet over the center field wall to give Atlanta a 4-2 lead.
The three runs were the first in 10 games off the Brewers’ bullpen, ending their scoreless streak at 29 consecutive innings.
Daysbel Hernandez (1-0), making his major league debut, got the victory after getting three strikeouts in the seventh inning. Ben Heller tossed a scoreless eighth despite allowing two hits, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances.
Atlanta holds an 11 1/2-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins in the National League East, while Milwaukee sits a half-game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds in the Central.
Milwaukee took a 2-1 lead with a run in the fourth off Atlanta starter Bryce Elder. Sal Frelick, who had three hits and the game-winning RBI in his big-league debut in Saturday’s 4-3 victory, walked to open inning. Frelick advanced to third on Victor Caratini’s one-out single and came home on Owen Miller’s sacrifice fly.
Travis d’Arnaud staked the Braves to a 1-0 lead with one out in the second, sending a 2-2 pitch from Julio Teheran 361 feet to right for his ninth homer.
Brice Turang answered in the third with a 417-foot leadoff shot to right for his fourth homer.
Teheran, facing his former team for the first time, allowed just one run on three hits over six innings. The veteran right-hander, signed by Milwaukee on May 25 after opting out of his minor league contract with San Diego, spent his first nine seasons with Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
