PHOENIX (AP) — Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson opened the ninth inning with back-to-back home runs, sending the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Grant Holmes held the Diamondbacks to one hit through six innings, matching zeros with Arizona starter Eduardo Rodríguez.
Albies and Olson connected off reliever Paul Sewald (0-1), helping the Braves improve to 6-2 while the Diamondbacks dropped to 3-5. Arizona has scored only three runs in its last three games.
Robert Suarez (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth inning and Raisel Iglesias worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save this season.
Albies, who had three of Atlanta’s six hits, drove an 0-1 pitch from Sewald over the right-field fence for his second homer of the year.
Olson sent Sewald’s next delivery to left for his second home run as well.
In the early innings, both starters were in command. Holmes didn’t give up a hit until Ketel Marte singled on a sharp line drive to left with one out in the sixth. The right-hander walked three and struck out four.
In his only two previous starts against the Diamondbacks, both last year, Holmes allowed nine runs in nine innings.
Rodríguez tossed seven strong innings of his own, scattering four hits while walking one and striking out three. It’s the first time the left-hander has opened a season with consecutive scoreless starts.
Up next
The third game of the four-game series is Saturday, with Braves RHP Bryce Elder (1-0) facing Michael Soroka (1-0).
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