ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a fifth-inning homer for the game’s first run, Max Fried outpitched Corbin Burnes and the Atlanta Braves held off the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 on Saturday night.
Asked to protect a 3-1 lead, Braves closer Kenley Jansen gave up a run in the ninth. Christian Yelich, who led off with a double, scored on Tyrone Taylor’s one-out single to cut the Braves’ lead to one run.
Jansen then struck out Rowdy Tellez and Taylor was caught stealing for a double play to end the game. The Brewers unsuccessfully challenged the call on Taylor. Jansen earned his eighth save.
It was the second runner thrown out in the game by Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who also delivered a key run-scoring single off Luis Perdomo in the eighth.
“Travis was unbelievable again, especially with the two throw-outs,” Fried said.
Fried (4-2) allowed one run on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings to end Milwaukee’s four-game winning streak.
“He goes out there ad puts up those zeroes and gives you a chance against a really tough pitcher,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
The teams have split the first two games of the rematch of last season’s NL Division Series won by the Braves on their way to their World Series championship.
Acuña’s homer off Burnes (1-2) was his second in two games as he continued to prove he has fully recovered from knee surgery.
Burnes lowered his ERA from 1.93 to 1.86 while allowing two runs, one earned, in six innings. He gave up six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Travis Demeritte’s diving catch of Christian Yelich’s shallow liner in left field kept the Brewers scoreless in the sixth. With two outs, Luis Urías singled and moved to third on Willy Adames’ double. Demeritte then raced in toward the infield to rob Yelich…
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