Four Atlanta relievers combined for 4 1/3 shutout innings and the Braves produced a four-run ninth inning to seal a 6-1 victory over the host Houston Astros on Monday.
Aaron Bummer (1-1), Pierce Johnson, A.J. Minter allowed three hits and posted two strikeouts while recording 10 outs to preserve a one-run lead before the first five batters reached off Astros closer Josh Hader in the top of the ninth.
Orlando Arcia, Austin Riley, Marcell Ozuna and Michael Harris II each plated a run in the final frame, as Hader was charged with four runs on four hits and one walk while recording one out.
Jesse Chavez threw a hitless bottom of the ninth to wrap up Atlanta’s third win in four games.
The Braves made their two-out rally in the second inning against Astros rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (0-2) stand until their rally in the ninth.
Arrighetti worked around a two-out single from Riley in the first and quickly retired the first two batters of the second before things came undone. Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud started the rally with a double and scored two batters later when Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena threw wildly to first base on Luis Guillorme’s infield single, tying the game at 1-1.
Ronald Acuna Jr. followed with an 11-pitch walk, loading the bases for Ozzie Albies, who earned an RBI when Arrighetti hit him with a 1-2 pitch, forcing home Jarred Kelenic. Arrighetti threw 31 pitches with two outs, and while he completed four innings, the damage was done.
Braves right-hander Darius Vines, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to make his first major league appearance of the season, pitched effectively enough to nearly notch his second career victory.
The Astros scratched across a run in the first, with Alex Bregman delivering a single that drove home Kyle Tucker, who had reached via a two-out double and swiped second base. Vines followed by walking Yainer Diaz but limited the damage to a lone run.
Vines wound up allowing one run one four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. He threw 80 pitches.
Riley had three hits for Atlanta, while Jose Altuve collected three hits for Houston.
–Field Level Media