*Photo from AP News*
We have our first domino in the playoffs. Ronald Acuna Jr put the team ahead, Matt Olson drove in 3 runs, and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-2 victory on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta.
By scoring 5 unanswered runs, the Braves won the game and secured their spot in the postseason, becoming the first team to do so. At the 142 game mark, the Braves tied the 1975 Cincinnati Reds for the 6th fewest games to clinch a playoff spot. They've also secured their 6th straight playoff spot.
After the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker said that "We congratulated the guys. We’ve got a seat at the table now. It’s not what we left Spring Training to accomplish. That’s the division. But to get in is huge."
With the first 5 innings going scoreless, it was the Pirates who got the offense going first. In the top of the 6th, with Ji-Hwan Bae on base, Bryan Reynolds scored him, hitting an RBI double to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Reynolds then came in to score himself on an RBI double off the bat of Jack Suwinski, making it 2-0 Pirates.
In the bottom of the 6th, the Braves answered back. Olson got them on the board and cut the deficit to 2-1 with a groundout that scored Ozzie Albies. They didn't trail for much longer after that. Acuna Jr put the Braves ahead 3-2 in the 7th with a two run single. Olson then made it a 5-2 game with a two run double.
Braves pitcher Allan Winans said of Acuna Jr's big hit that "You heard the crowd chanting ‘MVP’ and there’s a reason they’re saying that. It’s a special thing to watch and I’m not going to get tired of watching that any time soon."
Getting the start for the Braves was Winans, allowing two runs on 6 hits, striking out 8 hitters in 6 1/3 strong innings. Brad Hand finished the 7th and got credit for the win, his 4th of the season. AJ Minter pitched a scoreless 8th and Raisel Iglesias got his 29th save of the season in the 9th inning.
Luis Ortiz allowed one run on 3 hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings in his start for the Pirates. Ryan Borucki threw a scoreless inning before Colin Selby allowed 4 runs while only getting one out. Thomas Hatch pitched the final 1 1/3 innings.
Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said of Ortiz's start that "He was very good. He attacked the zone. He went after the best lineup in baseball. Defensively, we played well behind him. We had an inning or two with some hard contact, made some plays. But overall I thought he threw the ball really well."
Up next, the Braves travel to Philadelphia to face the Phillies on Monday, with a doubleheader on tap. Charlie Morton will start the first game of the doubleheader, with no announced starter for the second game. The Pirates host the Washington Nationals on Monday, with a starter yet to be announced.
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