The Atlanta Braves opened a crucial series against the Chicago Cubs with a 5-2 victory.
“I think our guys have met all of the challenges this season,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said after the game.
Before Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, the Atlanta Braves requested a moment of silence in honor of late manager Bobby Cox and former team owner Ted Turner. Both men have been credited with changing the franchise forever. The three-game set against the Cubs, one of the best teams in baseball through the first quarter of the season, was the first time the team had been at Truist Park since the men passed away last week.
Grant Holmes was on the mound for Atlanta and pitched in spots. Didier Fuentes came into the game in the fifth inning and held the Cubs scoreless for three innings. Dylan Lee (0.95 ERA in 19 innings) came on in the eighth inning, and Raisel Iglesias closed it out in the ninth.
About Fuentes tonight, Weiss said he was “tremendous.”
“Didi was tremendous. What a luxury to have that guy,” Weiss said. “We have some good guys.”
Add Dominic Smith to that list of good guys. Smith went 4-4 with four singles tonight and raised his batting average to .363.
The first run of the game came from an unlikely source: Yaz. Hitting just .200 at the start of the game, Mike Yastrzemski gave the Braves a 1-0 lead when he doubled home Dom Smith, who singled to open the third inning. The Cubs tied the game and later took the lead in the fourth when Alex Bregman hit a solo home run off Holmes, and then, with the bases loaded, Moises Ballesteros grounded out into a fielder’s choice while driving in a run.
This season, the Braves’ offense has continued to find a way to generate runs whenever needed. Down 2-1 in the fifth, Atlanta got a solo home run from Austin Riley, a two-run home run from Mike Yastrzemski, and an RBI double off the right field wall from Matt Olson to go ahead 5-2.
After the game, Yastrzemski talked about the team’s defense and their willingness to play through tough times.
“That’s the mentality that we have,” he said. The
Braves have a 7:15 p.m. first pitch scheduled for Wednesday night.
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