Abraham Almonte and Orlando Arcia are the Braves’ left fielders, a circumstance nobody expected in March. Both players came through in a big sixth inning Wednesday afternoon.
With the Braves trailing 3-2, Almonte pinch hit for starter Drew Smyly in the sixth with runners at second and third. He stroked a single that scored the tying and go-ahead runs, beginning an offensive breakout as the Braves defeated the Pirates 14-3 to avoid a three-game sweep during a rainy day in Pittsburgh.
The game was delayed an hour and 17 minutes during the seventh inning because of rain.
Almonte’s hit off reliever Kyle Crick scored as many runs as his team had scored across the first two games of the series. The Braves’ offense, which has had a maddening three-week stretch, scored five runs in the sixth to prevent the Pirates from sweeping an opponent for the first time in 2021.
“In the National League, you have to be ready for any situation and any role,” Almonte said. “I feel good to be part of that and be productive when they need me to.”
Following Almonte’s at-bat, outfielder Ronald Acuna singled, finishing Crick’s afternoon. Pirates reliever Chasen Shreve retired first baseman Freddie Freeman before walking Ehire Adrianza to load the bases. Third baseman Austin Riley drew a walk to make the score 5-3.
Enter Arcia, who had two multi-hit efforts in three games with the Braves entering the day. He laced a single to left that tacked on two more runs and completed an explosive inning, something rare for the Braves in recent weeks.
Overall, the Braves were 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position. They were 0-for-10 in the category over the past two games and 9-for-47 (.191) in such scenarios this month.
Smyly, who had a 1.69 ERA over his past five starts, struggled in the first inning. He surrendered five hits in the frame, including Jacob Stallings’ three-run homer. The southpaw did a nice job rebounding, however, and didn’t allow any further damage across his five innings.
“It’s just one of those days where you have to grind,” Smyly said. “They have some scrappy hitters in their lineup who put the ball in play. They don’t strike out a ton. They make you work. Today I had to fight for it to keep us in the game.
“Not the first inning I wanted, but I was proud of myself for staying in there, battling and giving the team a chance. The offense came up big late in the game, scoring a lot of runs.”
The Braves scored their first run via Riley’s RBI single off Wil Crowe in the first inning. Acuna homered off Crowe in the third, his 24th of the season.
When the Braves returned from the rain delay, they teed off on Pirates reliever Duane Underwood. They scored eight runs on seven hits off Underwood, an offensive eruption they can only hope provides a longer-term spark. The team had four extra-base hits, including Almonte’s two-run homer.
Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies, who scored on Riley’s hit, was removed in the fifth inning as a precaution with neck tightness.
Newcomer Jonathan Lucroy started at catcher and hit eighth. Lucroy, 34, went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI single. He also executed a sacrifice bunt in the sixth to advance the runners before Almonte’s single.
The Braves conclude the first half with a three-game series in Miami. Charlie Morton (7-3, 3.91 ERA) will start the series opener Friday. If the Braves sweep the Marlins, they will enter the break above .500 for the first time this season - not that they’ll look so far ahead.
“I don’t allow myself to look at things like that,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I just look at Friday. It doesn’t do me any good to look (too far ahead). I’m not wired to do that.”
