Ronald Acuna Jr.’s historic slam guides Braves past Dodgers

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a grand slam Thursday that landed within the document books, powering the visiting Atlanta Braves to a wild 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers within the opening sport of a showdown collection between the highest two groups within the Nationwide League.

Acuna turned the primary participant with 30 dwelling runs and 60 stolen bases in the identical season because the Braves moved 5 video games away from the Dodgers atop the NL. Acuna had three hits, 4 RBIs and a stroll. Along with belting his thirtieth homer, he stole his 62nd base.

Austin Riley and Michael Harris II each homered and singled whereas Spencer Strider recovered from a gradual begin to assist Atlanta earn its fourth consecutive victory and its eighth in 9 video games.

Mookie Betts hit two dwelling runs for the Dodgers to maintain tempo in his MVP duel with Acuna. Max Muncy and rookie Michael Busch additionally went deep as Los Angeles fell simply quick after trailing 7-1.

Los Angeles starter Lance Lynn (10-10) gave up seven runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, with two walks and one strikeout. Lynn allowed three dwelling runs on Thursday, and he has given up a major-league-leading 37.

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead within the first inning on a Muncy fielder’s-choice grounder.

Atlanta loaded the bases with one out within the second inning and tied it when Nicky Lopez walked. Acuna adopted together with his grand slam to left-center subject for his piece of historical past. Two batters later, Riley hit a house run, his thirty second, for a 6-1 lead.

Harris’ dwelling run within the fifth inning, his thirteenth, put Atlanta on prime 7-1.

The Dodgers reduce the deficit in half when Betts hit a three-run dwelling run to proper within the fifth, with the ball bouncing off the highest of the wall.

Strider (16-4) gave up 4 runs on 4 hits over six innings with two walks and 9 strikeouts to sole possession of the foremost league lead in wins.

Harris had an RBI single within the sixth to place Atlanta up 8-4. The Dodgers reduce that deficit to 8-6 within the seventh when Busch (his second) and Betts (his thirty eighth) hit dwelling runs off Joe Jimenez in a span of three batters. Jimenez had not given up a homer since Might 16, a span of 33 outings and 32 2/3 innings.

Muncy introduced the Dodgers inside a run within the eight together with his thirty second dwelling run. It was Muncy’s ninth consecutive sport with an extra-base hit, tying the franchise document.

Braves right-hander Raisel Iglesias had two aboard with one out within the ninth earlier than getting Muncy on a fly ball and placing out Enrique Hernandez for his twenty seventh save.

—Discipline Stage Media