Imagine that, Braves manager Brian Snitker says.
You can have fun playing baseball. Even in a playoff race.
Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna – their own band of brothers – both homered in an 8-7 victory over the Brewers at SunTrust Park on Sunday. The win came despite the Braves being outhit 19-9.
It was a key victory as the Braves (64-51, .557) moved percentage points ahead of the Brewers (67-54, .554) for the top spot in the National League wild-card race. More importantly, it moved them into a virtual tie with the Phillies, who lost at the Padres Sunday, for the lead in the NL East race.
“We are past all of that,” Snitker said of winning big games. “We feel like we are for real. We’ve felt like that for a long time. … We are a good ballclub. These guys should be proud of all they’ve accomplished. This team is for real.”
Albies’ 21st homer of the season came in the seventh inning, broke a 7-7 tie and provided the decisive run. It snapped a 20-game and 76 at-bat homerless streak.
“I was just trying to get on base and I got a homer,” Albies said.
The home run came an inning after Dansby Swanson hit a two-run homer to tie the game.
Acuna hit a two-run homer in the second inning, his 15th of his young career. He became just the third Braves players over the last 110 seasons to reach the home run mark before his 21st birthday. He joined Andruw Jones (26) and Eddie Mathews (25). That’s some fine company.
Acuna has surged after being put in the leadoff spot following the all-star break. He is hitting .317 with eight home runs, five doubles and a triple in the 21 games.
“He’s been awesome,” Snitker said. “I can see him getting more and more comfortable too. I see the kid, he’s having better at-bat after better at-bat. It’s good to see. He goes up there with a lot of confidence. He’s done a great job for us, that’s for sure.”
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