Braves Recap: Grissom's 9th inning single pushes Braves over Royals
By Chris Turner
With a heroic 9th inning single from Vaughn Grissom, Atlanta snuck by Kansas City with a 5-4 win to complete the series sweep. The Braves are now 12-4 on the year, with the Royals falling to 4-12.
After two scoreless innings to open the game from both starting pitchers, a Matt Olson triple off a misplayed ball from Edward Olivares plated two to make it 2-0 Braves in the third. One batter later, Austin Riley hit a fly ball deep enough to score Olson and extend the lead.
Kyle Wright got in some trouble in the bottom of the inning, allowing back to back singles before a throwing error from Riley loaded the bases with nobody out. He was able to get Bobby Witt Jr. to ground into a double play to clear the bases, but a run scored to trim Atlanta's lead to 3-1. Wright then walked back to back batters to load the bases back up, before escaping the jam by getting Salvador Perez to ground out to end the third. He ended the day throwing 5.2 innings, striking out six batters, walking three, and allowing two earned runs.
Ozzie Albies continued his big series with a 2-4 day at the plate, his first hit heading 376 feet to right field for his third home run of the 2023 season. That made it 4-1 Braves in the 4th.
That score held for a few innings with Wright and Zack Greinke trading off quick innings before Michael Tonkin relieved Wright in the 6th. Tonkin allowed one of Wright's runners to score in the 6th trim the Braves lead to 4-2, before giving up a two-run home run to Vinnie Pasquantino in the 7th inning to tie the game at 4-4.
After a scoreless eighth from both teams, Scott Barlow came in for Kansas City and struck out Eddie Rosario to open the ninth. Albies then jumped on the first pitch he saw, lacing a double into right center field. Grissom stepped in with one out, and after going up 2-0, jumped on a slider he snuck down the line in right to score what would end up being the game winning run.
AJ Minter came in and shut the door in the 9th inning with a 1-2-3 inning to pick up his second save of the season.
The Braves will take their six-game win streak out West for a rematch with the San Diego Padres. First pitch from Petco Park on Monday is at 9:40 p.m. ET.