The Atlanta Braves will try to keep the home run bats hot on Wednesday afternoon when they host the Los Angeles Angels in the rubber game of a three-game set
The Braves hit three more homers on Tuesday in a 5-1 win that evened the series. Two of the long balls came from Michael Harris II, which gives the team a franchise-record-tying nine players with double-digit homers. Travis d'Arnaud needs one more homer to reach 10 and set a new mark
"I think it's awesome," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "It's kind of the key to our success is that everybody is contributing -- and they have to a man, so it's been really good. This lineup is really deep, it's powerful, and it's awesome to see.
The Braves' homers on Tuesday all came from the bottom third of the batting order. Atlanta now has a league-leading 203 home runs. Eddie Rosario, Orlando Arcia and Harris, who usually hit in the last three spots in the order, have combined for 38 blasts
"That's been a big part of our success," Snitker said. "The bottom third of our lineup has been really good, and they put a lot of pressure on the opposition. Then all of a sudden, that thing rolls back around to those guys (at the top of the order).
The pitching matchup for the series finale features a pair of right-handers, Atlanta's Yonny Chirinos (4-4, 4.34 ERA) vs. Los Angeles' Lucas Giolito (6-7, 3.85)
Giolito will be making his 23rd start of the season and second for the Angels since being acquired from the Chicago White Sox on July 26. He took the loss in his club debut on Friday, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays
"I felt relatively sharp, throwing a lot of strikes, but they hammered my mistakes pretty good," Giolito said
In two career appearances, one start, against the Braves, Giolito is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA. He last faced Atlanta on Sept. 1, 2019, while a member of the White Sox and took the loss
Giolito has been susceptible to the long ball. He allowed three to the New York Mets on July 18 and has given up multiple homers in six starts this year
Chirinos will make his second start since joining the Braves, who claimed him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23. He pitched only 3 2/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday and allowed four runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Chirinos has never faced the Angels
Los Angeles' Mickey Moniak went 2-for-4 on Tuesday and is batting .330 (31-for-94) with five doubles, three homers and 14 RBIs in his past 23 games. C.J. Cron extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single on Tuesday, his second game back with the Angels after a trade with the Colorado Rockies, but Mike Moustakas went hitless and saw his 10-game streak end
The Angels promoted outfielder Jordyn Adams from Triple-A Salt Lake ahead of the Tuesday game. Adams, the team's first-round draft pick in 2018, was hitting .264 with 13 homers and 60 RBIs in 89 games in the minors this year. He will be making his major league debut when he gets in a game
--Field Level Medi