Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz (15) rounds second base after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
By Charles Odum
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez each hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of Bailey Falter’s strong start to beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-2, on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Bryan Reynolds’ 25-game hitting streak ended with two strikeouts and two groundouts in his four at-bats. It was the longest streak in the majors this season and the Pirates’ longest since Kenny Lofton’s 26-game streak in 2003.
The Pirates’ four-run fifth began with a successful challenge resulting in Jack Suwinski being hit by a pitch from Spencer Schwellenbach (1-4). With two outs, Cruz lined a homer that traveled 452 feet to the right-field seats. Cruz’s 12th homer had an exit velocity of 117.3 mph.
Schwellenbach walked Edward Olivares before Tellez hit his fourth homer off the right-field foul pole.
The Pirates (40-43) capped a 14-12 June.
“I think we had a solid month,” Tellez said. “It was a good way to end it.”
Tellez ended an 0-for-8 drought with the homer.
Falter (4-6) issued four walks in five innings, but the left-hander was charged with one run and two hits. Falter struck out the side in the second and had five strikeouts overall before being affected by temperatures in the low 90s.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody that red on the mound,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Falter.
Falter acknowledged the Georgia heat was overbearing.
“After the fourth I literally felt like I was standing under a magnifying glass,” Falter said.
Falter ended a streak of four consecutive losses since his last win, also against the Braves, on May 24 in Pittsburgh.
Marcell Ozuna walked to open the fourth and scored the Braves’ only run off Falter on Austin Riley’s double-play grounder.
Aroldis Chapman earned his third save despite giving up a run in the ninth. Following Adam Duvall’s single and a double by Sean Murphy, Michael A. Taylor made a diving catch of Orlando Arcia’s sinking liner for a sacrifice fly. Chapman ended the game on Zack Short’s groundout.
On Saturday, Chapman passed Billy Wagner’s record for most career strikeouts by a left-handed reliever.
The Atlanta Hawks’ No. 1 overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft, Zaccharie Risacher of France, wore a No. 10 Braves jersey when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Risacher (pronounced Ree-zah-shay), who will wear No. 10 as a swing player with the Hawks, was close to the plate with his toss.
Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen left the game after three at-bats due to what Shelton described as “just a little illness. … He’s fine.”
Saturday’s game
ATLANTA — Duvall’s single in the 10th inning drove in Luke Williams from second base and the Braves overcame a strong start by rookie Paul Skenes to beat the Pirates, 2-,1 on Saturday.
Duvall lined the single off Kyle Nicholas (0-2) to the wall in center field, bringing home Williams, who started the inning on second. Braves players charged out of the dugout to celebrate with Duvall, who began the day hitting only .165.
“We grind with each other,” Duvall sad. “They know it hasn’t been going great for me. For them to show that kind of love for me at the end means a lot. I’m over the moon right now.”
Edward Olivares was tagged out at the plate when trying to score from third base on a wild pitch by Daysbel Hernandez (2-0) in the top of the 10th. Olivares was initially ruled safe but the Braves challenged and a review showed Hernandez caught the throw from Travis d’Arnaud and tagged Olivares before he reached the plate.
Skenes allowed one run on six hits in six innings and was typically dominant after giving up Jarred Kelenic’s homer to open the game. Skenes struck out the side in the sixth, giving him nine for the game. He wasn’t satisfied with his performance.
“Execution just wasn’t there,” Skenes said. “I had to grind through it. … Just gotta keep battling. Gotta execute. Yeah, just execute from the first pitch.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker said Skenes and Braves left-hander Max Fried pitched through struggles.
“I’m nothing but impressed with the Skenes kid,” Snitker said. “He doesn’t look like a first-year guy to me. He’s got a lot of confidence.”
Chapman recorded two strikeouts in the ninth to pass Billy Wagner for the most career strikeouts by a left-handed reliever. Chapman, 36, struck out d’Arnaud and pinch-hitter Sean Murphy, passing Wagner’s mark of 1,196 strikeouts.
“For sure, I went out there knowing I was two strikeouts away from either tying the record or go ahead,” Chapman said through a translator. “Yes, I was trying to get that today.”
Chapman said the record is the result of “a lot of hard work through the years.”
Up next
Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (9-4, 3.20 ERA) will start on Tuesday night when the Pirates open a home series against RHP Kyle Gibson (5-3, 3.70 ERA) and the St. Louis Cardinals.
