<img alt="MLB: Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X7Wv4esOKy1Af0xTOor4BTjL8pQ=/0x0:5465x3643/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73545981/usa_today_24084184.0.jpg">
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Nine runs in the first two innings is good for business. For a team starved for offense in recent days, the Braves broke out in a big way on a rainy Monday night in Minnesota with a 10-6 victory over the Twins.
Whit Merrifield had five hits. Matt Olson had three extra base hits — it was his first game with three hits since June 16th, as outlined on Battery Power earlier today — and drove in half of the Braves’ runs. The club racked up 13 hits and four walks. It was a much needed wakeup call after a sleepy weekend of offense against the Nationals.
Atlanta wasted no time in the first inning as the first four batters of the game took advantage of Bailey Ober, who came into the evening as one of the AL’s better starters. Merrifield, who was leading off for the day-to-day Michael Harris*, led off with a single. Jorge Soler walked, and Marcell Ozuna grounded a ball up the middle for a 1-0 lead. Olson then crushed a ball to the upper deck of Target Field to make it 4-0 after just twenty pitches.
*Harris actually appeared in the game as a defensive replacement, making a fantastic catch on the run at the warning track to halt a Minnesota rally in the seventh. He also made a plate appearance, so the hand should be feeling much better.
MATT OLSON NO-DOUBTER#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/nUK3blTS2B— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 26, 2024
The bats kept rolling in the top of the second, all of which came after two quick outs. Merrifield doubled, Soler walked, and Marcell Ozuna doubled down the line to make it 5-1. Matt Olson followed with a double of his own to increase the lead to 7-1, and Travis d’Arnaud put an exclamation point on things with a two-run blast to make it 9-1.
d'Arnaud d'inger!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/PzQOxhCedy— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 27, 2024
Ober saw his ERA rise from 3.54 to 4.06 with the disastrous two innings.
Then came a 90 minute rain delay as tornado sirens howled not far from the ballpark.
It seemed possible that Max Fried wouldn’t return after the lengthy delay, but the lefty was able to stay loose enough to save the bullpen. Fried was sharp right out of the gate as he mowed down Minnesota’s hitters in the second, third and fourth. He did run into a jam in the fifth, aided by a rare Orlando Arcia throwing error and some unlucky BABIP shenanigans. He was able to escape with just three runs in total scoring against him on the night, striking out seven and walking none. His last two starts have been much more Max Fried like after the elbow injury scare.
Grant Holmes worked the sixth and seventh allowing just one run to score. Pierce Johnson allowed a solo homer in the eighth but no further damage. Dylan Lee closed things out to get Atlanta back on the winning track.
The series continues Tuesday night with Spencer Schwellenbach set to face fellow rookie Simeon Woods Richardson, who’s had a nice season in his own right. First pitch is 8:40 p.m. ET.
<img alt="MLB: Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X7Wv4esOKy1Af0xTOor4BTjL8pQ=/0x0:5465x3643/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73545981/usa_today_24084184.0.jpg">
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Nine runs in the first two innings is good for business. For a team starved for offense in recent days, the Braves broke out in a big way on a rainy Monday night in Minnesota with a 10-6 victory over the Twins.
Whit Merrifield had five hits. Matt Olson had three extra base hits — it was his first game with three hits since June 16th, as outlined on Battery Power earlier today — and drove in half of the Braves’ runs. The club racked up 13 hits and four walks. It was a much needed wakeup call after a sleepy weekend of offense against the Nationals.
Atlanta wasted no time in the first inning as the first four batters of the game took advantage of Bailey Ober, who came into the evening as one of the AL’s better starters. Merrifield, who was leading off for the day-to-day Michael Harris*, led off with a single. Jorge Soler walked, and Marcell Ozuna grounded a ball up the middle for a 1-0 lead. Olson then crushed a ball to the upper deck of Target Field to make it 4-0 after just twenty pitches.
*Harris actually appeared in the game as a defensive replacement, making a fantastic catch on the run at the warning track to halt a Minnesota rally in the seventh. He also made a plate appearance, so the hand should be feeling much better.
MATT OLSON NO-DOUBTER#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/nUK3blTS2B— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 26, 2024
The bats kept rolling in the top of the second, all of which came after two quick outs. Merrifield doubled, Soler walked, and Marcell Ozuna doubled down the line to make it 5-1. Matt Olson followed with a double of his own to increase the lead to 7-1, and Travis d’Arnaud put an exclamation point on things with a two-run blast to make it 9-1.
d'Arnaud d'inger!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/PzQOxhCedy— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 27, 2024
Ober saw his ERA rise from 3.54 to 4.06 with the disastrous two innings.
Then came a 90 minute rain delay as tornado sirens howled not far from the ballpark.
It seemed possible that Max Fried wouldn’t return after the lengthy delay, but the lefty was able to stay loose enough to save the bullpen. Fried was sharp right out of the gate as he mowed down Minnesota’s hitters in the second, third and fourth. He did run into a jam in the fifth, aided by a rare Orlando Arcia throwing error and some unlucky BABIP shenanigans. He was able to escape with just three runs in total scoring against him on the night, striking out seven and walking none. His last two starts have been much more Max Fried like after the elbow injury scare.
Grant Holmes worked the sixth and seventh allowing just one run to score. Pierce Johnson allowed a solo homer in the eighth but no further damage. Dylan Lee closed things out to get Atlanta back on the winning track.
The series continues Tuesday night with Spencer Schwellenbach set to face fellow rookie Simeon Woods Richardson, who’s had a nice season in his own right. First pitch is 8:40 p.m. ET.
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