Albies, Olson go back-to-back in Braves’ shutout of Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — A duel in the desert went the way of the Braves on Friday at Chase Field thanks to a pair of ninth-inning homers and more superb pitching that fueled them to a 2-0 win over the Diamondbacks.

Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson hit back-to-back jacks to give the Braves a 2-0 lead in what would be their final at-bat. Diamondbacks reliever Paul Sewald (0-1) came into a scoreless game, and the second pitch he threw to Albies was yanked down the right field line and into the seats, making it 1-0.

The home run was the 427th extra-base hit of Albies’ career which moved him into sole possession of the ninth-most in franchise history. After the game, Albies met the fan who caught the homer and exchanged it for a signed bat and two signed baseballs.

Two pitches after Albies’ heroics, Olson crushed a fastball 426 feet out to left.

“Was able to spit on a couple sweepers, and then 2-0 was ready for a heater and was able to connect it,” Olson said.

Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (S, 1) pitched a perfect ninth to preserve the victory.

The shutout victory was the third of the Braves’ season (catcher Jonah Heim has been behind the plate for all three) and 2026 Braves became the fourth team in franchise history with three shutouts in their first eight games (the 1993 team was the last to accomplish the feat).

The Braves now have a run differential of +29 through eight games.

“Definitely amazing when we can do stuff like that. That’s what helps you win ballgames,” Albies said of the offense. “This lineup is dangerous, and you make a mistake, anybody can do damage. That’s a great tool to have.”

Braves starter Grant Holmes carried a no-hitter into the sixth and left before the start of the seventh. He allowed only one hit, walked three and struck out four after 85 pitches. Holmes induced 14 whiffs, mostly with his sharp slider.

Holmes also avoided serious injury on the final out of the third inning. D-backs second baseman Ketel Marte hit Holmes’ 1-1 slider 102.7 mph right back at Holmes, who caught the ball with his glove just under his right arm.

“That thing caught me,” Holmes said after the game. “I was just protecting myself.”

D-backs starter Eduardo Rodríguez was equally impressive, shutting out the Braves over seven innings while working around four hits and only one walk. Rodríguez threw 37 change-ups, and the Braves only managed five hard-hit balls off the veteran lefty.

The Braves (6-2) finally got something going against Rodríguez in the sixth thanks to a Ronald Acuña Jr. opposite-field single (Acuña had been 4-for-26 before the at-bat). Acuña stole second, and after a pop-up, went to third on Albies’ infield single off the glove of Rodríguez.

But Rodríguez struck out Olson on a check swing, and Austin Riley weakly rolled a change-up to shortstop to end the threat.

“He moved it around well. Threw a ton of change-ups to the righties,” Olson said of Rodríguez. “He’s a good placement guy, good pitcher, knows when to expand off, when to reattack the zone. Kept us off the barrels today.”