Braves Recap: Strider's 10 Ks, Kevin Pillar's late homer lift Braves to 5-4 win

Spencer Strider did his job with 10 strikeouts in five innings of work on Saturday. Thanks to a go-ahead, pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning, the Atlanta Braves were able to even their series with the Orioles with a 5-4 win.

The first couple of innings were uneventful on the scoreboard as Spencer Strider had six strikeouts through the first two innings, but the Braves offense couldn't get much going either. However, the Braves would get on the board first thanks to a solo home run from Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna went on a tear during Atlanta's series in Miami and it seems like, at least for the moment, he has continued that hot streak.

Unfortunately, things went sideways for Spencer Strider in the fourth inning as a single and a double put runners on second and third. Strider was able to get a strikeout for the second out, but Adam Frazier singled to left to drive in both runners and the Braves were down 2-1. Its hard to be upset with eight strikeouts through four innings, but the Braves offense was going to have to get something going pretty quickly.

Fortunately, the Braves would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning after an Eddie Rosario RBI single, but were unable to capitalize on having a couple of runners on after that. Ronald Acuna Jr. would give the Braves the lead in the bottom of the fifth, though, with an RBI single after Vaughn Grissom's one out double, but again left some runners on to end the inning.

After Spencer Strider's day came to an end after five innings with 10 strikeouts, it was up to the Braves' bullpen to hold the line. Sadly, Nick Anderson would give up the lead when he gave up a RBI double to Anthony Santander and then the Orioles would take the lead on an RBI groundout.

Both teams would miss out on some scoring opportunities over the next couple of innings, but the Braves would finally break through in the bottom of the eighth. After Austin Riley led the inning off with a double, the Braves would sub Kevin Pillar in for Eddie Rosario when Baltimore brought a lefty in out of bullpen and Pillar promptly connected for a two-run homer to give the Braves a 5-4 lead.