Late Olson homer lifts Braves over Mariners
SEATTLE – The Braves and Mariners got caught up in a pitching duel Tuesday at T-Mobile Park. A duel ended by slugger Matt Olson.
Olson hit a 2-1 slider off Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz 412 feet to the opposite field for a go-ahead solo home run in the ninth inning giving the Braves a 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park. It was the 13th home run of the season, and 301st of his career, for Olson.
The Braves (26-11) improved to 12-1 when their star first baseman scores and now have still not had a losing streak since April 4-6. They will go for an 11th series win in 12 tries in Wednesday’s finale between the two teams.
Bryce Elder began on the mound for the Braves on Tuesday and had a season-high nine strikeouts. He left after six innings, having thrown 93 pitches and only making one mistake, serving up a two-run homer in the third. Elder got 17 swings and misses at a 35% rate.
His counterpart, George Kirby, went seven strong innings and only faced trouble in the fourth where he allowed his two runs on three hits. Otherwise, he held the Braves to two singles and fanned five.
That left the affair up the bullpens.
Dylan Lee struck out the side for the Braves in the seventh and Jose Ferrer logged a 1-2-3 eighth for the Mariners. Robert Suarez ended the eighth for the Braves with two strikeouts, one against Mariners’ star catcher Cal Raleigh.
It was then up to Muñoz in the ninth, and Olson was unimpressed.
Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, who came off the injured list Tuesday, pitched the ninth. The righty allowed a one-out single and stolen base but got a strikeout and grounder to second to shut the door for his sixth save of the season.
Elder and the Braves fell behind early when J.P. Crawford hit a two-run home run to right in the third inning. Elder left a fastball right down the middle of the plate and the left-handed hitting Crawford, the hero of Monday night’s affair with a go-ahead two-run homer, did not miss.
As they have done all season long to this point, the Braves responded with a two-spot in the fourth to tie the game. Mauricio Dubón came through by slapping a two-out, two-run double past the bag at first.
That hit improved Dubón to 7-for-17 with 11 RBIs this season when there are two outs and runners in scoring position. It was all the offense the Braves needed until Olson’s big hit in the ninth.
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