Braves pour it on with 19-hit attack to crush Phillies

Field Level Media|published: Sat 30th March, 19:59 2024

Mar 30, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. credits: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves scored seven runs over the first three innings en route to a 12-4 win over the host Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

Atlanta's win followed Friday's season-opening 9-3 victory over the Phillies.

The Braves tallied 19 hits, including three apiece from Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Orlando Arcia and Jarred Kelenic.

Albies also batted in three runs, while Marcell Ozuna finished with three RBIs as well.

After Acuna led off the game with an infield single, Albies picked up his first hit of the season on a two-run home run.

Philadelphia responded with three runs in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to three walks by Atlanta starting pitcher Max Fried.

The third walk of the inning drove in Philadelphia's first run, as Nick Castellanos worked a seven-pitch at-bat with the bases loaded.

On the ensuing at-bat, Bryson Stott connected on a two-run single that gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead and chased Fried out of the game with just two outs recorded.

The top of the second inning saw Travis d'Arnaud drive in two on a double, which was followed by Kelenic's RBI-single that gave Atlanta a 5-3 advantage.

Reliever Jesse Chavez, who had replaced Fried, pitched a scoreless bottom of the second inning. In the third, Matt Olson led off with a solo home run. Later in the inning, Kelenic knocked in another run after Harris doubled and Arcia reached on an infield single.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto cut into Atlanta's 7-3 lead with a solo home run off Chavez in the bottom of the third.

Neither team scored again until the top of the sixth, when Albies singled in Kelenic. Two batters later, Ozuna hit a three-run home run to break the game open as Atlanta went up 11-4.

Harris stamped the Atlanta scoring with a solo home run in the ninth inning.

Chavez picked up the win (1-0), thanks to three innings pitched when he allowed just one run. Tyler Matzek, Pierce Johnson, Dylan Lee and Raisel Iglesias combined for 5 1/3 scoreless innings pitched.

Phillies starter Aaron Nola (0-1) lasted 4 1/3, allowing 12 hits and seven runs in his season debut.

—Field Level Media

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