Chris Sale, 3 homers pace Braves' victory, sweep of Diamondbacks

The Atlanta Braves hit three home runs and left-hander Chris Sale won his Atlanta home debut Sunday as the Braves beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 and swept the three-game series.

Matt Olson, Michael Harris II and Austin Riley each went deep to spark the balanced offense and help the Braves secure their first three-game sweep of Arizona since July 29-31, 2022.

Sale (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and six strikeouts. He retired the first 10 batters he faced until Corbin Carroll looped a single to left with one out in the fourth.

Relievers Joe Jimenez (1 2/3 innings) and Tyler Matzek (one inning) held the lead and Pierce Johnson pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first save.

Arizona starter Ryne Nelson (0-2) pitched five innings and allowed three runs on five hits and seven strikeouts. Nelson allowed two of the home runs.

The Braves scored two runs in the second inning. Olson led off with a homer to right field, his third, and Chadwick Tromp added a sacrifice fly.

Arizona scored twice in the fourth inning to tie the game. With runners on the corners, Sale stepped off the rubber, which resulted in a balk since it was his third disengagement of the plate appearance.

Christian Walker followed with an RBI single.

Atlanta regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer by Harris, his second.

The Braves iced it in the eighth when Riley hit a two-run shot off Miguel Castro, belting a slider 446 feet for his second home run.

The Diamondbacks placed shortstop Geraldo Perdomo on the injured list with a right meniscus tear and recalled veteran Kevin Newman from Triple-A Reno. Newman, a late roster cut in spring training, started and went 0-for-3.

The Diamondbacks begin a three-game road trip Monday in Colorado. The Braves remain home Monday to start a four-game series against the New York Mets.

-Field Level Media