In what quickly became the most lopsided game of the season, the Braves struck early and often against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Thursday night en route to a 17-2 win.
The Braves are now 5-2 on the young season, It took until game 17 last year to win five games.
Matt Olson and Dom Smith both launched solo homers in the first and third innings, respectively, to make it 2-0 early. Both baseballs traveled 430 feet in cavernous Chase Field. Smith continues to really hit the ball after being thrown into the DH role midway through the spring, while Olson continued to damage baseballs in Phoenix, where his career OPS is above 1.100.
The real magic transpired in the fifth inning, when Atlanta sent TWELVE batters to the plate and scored eight runs.
Ronald Acuña Jr. walked with the bases loaded to make it 3-1. In what ended up being perhaps the play of the game, Drake Baldwin grounded a ball to Nolan Arenado that appeared to be an inning-ending double play. Baldwin flew down the first base line and somehow beat the throw by a step — overturned on instant replay review — to keep the inning alive. Matt Olson then doubled down the right field line, Birthday Boy Austin Riley drove in two more runs with a double of his own, Ozzie Albies doinked one to the outfield, and Michael Harris capped it off with a line drive off the left field wall to make it 10-2 in the blink of an eye.
Reynaldo Lopez was effective over five innings, needing 79 pitches to get through Arizona’s lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk, striking out three. His velocity was solid again with his fastball hovering in the mid-90s, although he only recorded six whiffs.
Tyler Kinley and Osvaldo Bido closed things out as the Braves continued to tack on runs against Arizona’s lifeless bullpen.
The series continues on Apple TV on Friday night with Grant Holmes set to face Eduardo Rodriguez. First pitch is set for 9:45 p.m. ET.
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