Braves Stars Pad Offensive Numbers in 10-3 Win Over Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — Everyone knows about Ronald Acuña Jr., his bid to join the 40-40 club and his MVP candidacy. Matt Olson leads the majors in homers. The NL East champion Atlanta Braves know Ozzie Albies is doing his part, too.

Albies went 4 for 6, including his 32nd homer, and topped 100 RBIs in a season for the second time by driving in four runs, Acuña scored his 140th run of 2023 — the most in the majors in 16 years — and Olson delivered home run No. 53 to lift Atlanta past the last-place Washington Nationals 10-3 on Thursday night.

“What he brings, it’s so vital to the whole lifeline of the whole club. I’ve said for years: ‘You know what? You play the game the way Ozzie does, you’re going to play it right,’” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “The kid does everything right on the field. … Prepares. The work ethic. He’s the model player, really.”

The Braves out-hit the Nationals 18-8, and every member of Atlanta’s daunting starting lineup reached base at least once.

Olson raised his RBI total to 132, equaling Gary Sheffield in 2003 for the most by a Braves player since the club moved to Atlanta. Austin Riley, Michael Harris II and Orlando Arcia each collected three hits.

Max Fried (8-1), who got extra rest between starts while dealing with a blister issue on his index finger, allowed one run — on Alex Call’s homer in the third — and three hits in six innings while striking out seven. He lowered his ERA to 2.55.

“Outing felt great. Toward the end, the finger filled up with a little bit of fluid. Drained it. Kind of take it day-by-day,” Fried said. “It’s something that obviously happens often. It’s more about managing it and dealing with it.”

The left-hander said he enjoys having Albies on the team for more than what the second baseman does in the field and at the plate.

Categories: Sports – Local Sports News