The Atlanta Braves got a much needed win on Wednesday evening thanks in part to Ronald Acuna Jr.'s fourth straight game with a homer. However, it was Orlando Arcia's solo shot late that proved to be the difference in the game as the Braves took down the Rangers by the score of 6-5.
The Braves would strike first in the top of the second thanks to Eddie Rosario. After Austin Riley singled to lead off the inning, Eddie would connect on a two-run homer, his fourth home run of the season, and the Braves would stake themselves to an early 2-0 lead. Atlanta would get a couple more baserunners after that, but a less than timely double play would erase most of that good work and they went quietly after that.
Spencer Strider got the start for the Braves against the Rangers and while he wasn't overly sharp, he was still able to start the night off with three scoreless innings. Unfortunately, things went off the rails for him in the fourth as the first four Rangers hitters to face him reached base including a solo home run and Texas was able to put up a three spot in the inning. It would have been four, but Michael Harris II is pretty good out there in center field and he gunned out Ezequiel Duran at the plate.
Adolis Garcia's second solo homer of the game would make it a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Ronald Acuna Jr. would get that run back for the Braves with yet another home run to make it a 4-3 game. This one "only" went 429 feet and was 105 mph off the bat to dead center.
4️⃣ straight games with a homer for @ronaldacunajr24! #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/QOt91XQJ5d
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 18, 2023
Strider's night would end with a line of 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, and 7 K. A surprisingly human stat line from him, but that is going to happen from time to time. Jesse Chavez would pitch a scoreless inning of relief as he continues to defy Father Time and we entered the final third with the Braves still down a run.
After AJ Minter relieved Jesse Chavez, the Rangers would score a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the seventh. Ronald would walk and steal his 18th base in the top of the eighth for the Braves, which was fortuitous because Ozzie Albies would bring him home with a single to make it a one run game again. Austin Riley immediately doubled Ozzie home after that and just like that, we had a tie game.
We then go to the top of the ninth. After Marcell Ozuna lost a lengthy battle and was retired on a fly out, Orlando Arcia came to the plate and connected on his fourth homer of the season to give the Braves the lead again.
Raisel Iglesias got the ball in the bottom of the ninth and thankfully had a clean inning with no drama whatsoever.