Chris Sale's strong 6-inning start leads Braves over Giants
Jul 3, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports Chris Sale threw six strong innings, helping lead the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
Sale (11-3) allowed just three hits, to go along with nine strikeouts and two walks, helping Atlanta snap a two-game skid. Austin Riley finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while Adam Duvall went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Matt Chapman tallied two hits and an RBI for the Giants, who saw their two-game winning streak ended.
After a scoreless first inning, Atlanta led off the bottom of the second with consecutive singles from Riley and Travis d'Arnaud, putting runners at first and second with nobody out. Duvall then laced his seventh double of the season, driving in Riley for the game's first run.
Leading 1-0, Sale struck out Curt Casali, Tyler Fitzgerald and Jorge Soler on 13 pitches in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the fifth, Marcell Ozuna slashed a two-out single, followed by Matt Olson's base hit. Riley then scored both runners with a two-run double off the right field wall, giving the Braves a 3-0 advantage. The Braves thought they had their fourth run on a single from d'Arnaud, but the call was overturned as Riley was thrown out at home by right fielder Austin Slater.
Soler led off the top of the sixth with a double against Sale. After retiring Slater and Heliot Ramos, Sale allowed his first run on Chapman's RBI double, which cut the Giants' deficit to 3-1.
Former Brave Luke Jackson relieved Hicks (4-5) after five innings of three-run, eight-hit ball. Hicks struck out six and walked a pair. Jackson pitched a scoreless sixth.
A.J. Minter came on to replace Sale in the top of the seventh. Minter threw a perfect inning in his first appearance since May 29 following an IL stint.
Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias allowed a one-out single to Chapman in the ninth, but retired Luis Matos and struck out Brett Wisely for the final out, securing his 21st save.
--Field Level Media
Uros Medic’s 30-Second KO Puts UFC Welterweights on Notice
Sunday MLB Best Bets: Back Zack Wheeler and Shohei Ohtani
Dan Lanning Has Oregon on the Verge of Something Special
Three August Sports Events You Won’t Want to Miss
- White Sox vs. Rays Picks: Best Bets for Friday’s MLB Showdown
- WNBA Picks: Three Best Bets for Friday’s Fever, Wings and Storm Games
- Orioles vs. Tigers Bet Picks: Best Predictions for Tuesday July 28
- WNBA Picks Tuesday: Best Bets for Lynx, Fever and Aces
- Guardians vs. Reds Monday Prediction: Best Bets for the Battle of Ohio
- MLB Best Bets for Sunday's Rockies vs. Brewers, Yankees vs. Phillies
- UFC Abu Dhabi Best Bets: Top Picks for Ankalaev vs. Guskov Fight Night

