
By BRADY PENN
ATLANTA — The Braves entered their second homestand having failed to win consecutive games in 18 tries. They put that to rest over the weekend, sweeping the Minnesota Twins in a three-game set behind a lights-out bullpen and an offense that scored 16 runs.
To cap off the homestand, the Braves started another three-game set Monday, this time against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Redbirds had Atlanta’s number in 2024, winning both series and going 4-2 against the Braves.
Looking to change that, the Braves sent Spencer Schwellenbach to the mound after a rough outing six days prior in Toronto.
In the top of the second, with a runner in scoring position, Schwellenbach allowed a single to right. Jarred Kelenic halted the runner at third with a strong throw, but it was cut off by Matt Olson, who then threw over the head of Austin Riley with the runner creeping off third.
An infield single later, it was 2-0 St. Louis. In the bottom of the third, Riley demolished a sinker 412 feet into the Hank Aaron Terrace to knot things up.
In the sixth, Schwellenbach gave up some hard contact amid a two-hit inning, with an Ozzie Albies error mixed in to make it 3-2 Cardinals.
Everything went quiet until the bottom of the eighth, when an infield hit by Riley and a walk by Marcell Ozuna brought up Olson.
Olson drove in the first earned run off Phil Maton all year with an RBI single to tie things up. Albies walked to load the bases for Michael Harris II in a late-game tie. Harris drove in pinch-runner Eli White to break the tie and put Atlanta ahead 4-3, before Sean Murphy delivered the knockout punch with a three-run shot into the Cardinals bullpen to make it 7-3.
In the top of the ninth, Raisel Iglesias ran into trouble, allowing three hits and four baserunners, including a two-run blast by Willson Contreras to make it 7-6 with two outs. Brendan Donovan walked to put the tying run on base, but Iglesias got lucky when Nolan Arenado hit a swinging bunt right in front of Murphy and was tagged out to end the game.
When asked about Iglesias’ struggles, manager Brian Snitker said Iglesias is a “feel guy” and that he will get going soon. The Braves rallied in the eighth inning for the third time in nine games to win their fourth straight. With news of Spencer Strider’s injury Monday evening, the Braves will operate with a bullpen game Tuesday as they seek their fifth straight victory and sixth consecutive win at Truist Park.
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