Adam Duvall slammed a three-run homer and Chris Sale became the majors’ first 12-game winner as the Atlanta Braves cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Phoenix.
Marcell Ozuna and Duvall each had two hits and two runs while Jarred Kelenic also had two hits as the Braves recorded their fourth consecutive victory.
Sale (12-3) struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, five hits and three walks for Atlanta. Jesse Chavez gave up one hit over 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief and A.J. Minter retired the side in order on three pitches in the ninth.
Jake McCarthy drove in one run and scored another for the Diamondbacks, who lost to the Braves for the second straight night to start the four-game series.
The Braves expanded a two-run edge to five with Duvall’s eighth homer of the season in the sixth.
Matt Olson doubled with one out and Ozuna followed with a single. Duvall fell behind 0-2 before jumping all over Arizona starter Zac Gallen’s knuckle curve, hitting a 441-foot blast to left to break the game open.
That was the final pitch for Gallen (6-5), who gave up five runs (four earned) and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
The Diamondbacks knocked Sale out of the game in the bottom of the inning, as Gabriel Moreno delivered a one-out single and scored on McCarthy’s triple into the gap in right-center.
Chavez entered and retired Eugenio Suarez on a groundout that scored McCarthy as Arizona moved within 5-2. Chavez struck out Alek Thomas to end the frame.
The Braves added a run in the eighth. Duvall singled with one out to end reliever Thyago Vieira’s outing. Joe Mantiply came in, and pinch hitter Eli White tripled off the base of the fence in right-center to score Duvall.
Earlier, Atlanta scored twice in the second, with the runs coming on a groundout and an error.
Ozuna led off with a double and Duvall walked to start the frame. After a fielder’s choice and passed ball, Sean Murphy’s groundout to shortstop drove in Ozuna to make it 1-0.
Orlando Arcia then hit a liner right at Arizona All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, who was a bit nonchalant and had the ball go off his glove for an error as Eddie Rosario scored from second.
–Field Level Media
