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Kurtz hits a grand slam, Butler adds 2 HRs as Athletics dominate Braves 10-1

 The Associated Press  |    Jul 9th, 2025 4:53am EDT

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nick Kurtz hit a grand slam, Lawrence Butler homered twice and the Athletics beat the Atlanta Braves 10-1 on Tuesday night.

The Braves have lost five straight and seven of eight.

Jeffrey Springs (7-6) pitched six innings and gave up a run — a solo shot by Eli White in the fifth — on six hits.

Butler led off the first inning with . Jacob Wilson was hit on the wrist by the next pitch and was replaced by pinch-runner Max Schuemann before Brent Rooker and Max Muncy each hit two-run homers to make it 5-0.

Butler hit a solo shot in the third to make it 10-0.

Didier Fuentes (0-3) — the youngest active player in the majors at 20 years and 21 days old — pitched one-plus innings and gave up eight runs on five hits, which included three homers.

Justin Sterner threw two hitless innings of relief before Elvis Alvarado pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the Athletics.

All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (back tightness) did not play for the Braves.

Key moment

Denzel Clarke hit a leadoff single in the second inning, Butler walked and Schuemann singled to load the bases and chase Fuentes. Jesse Chavez came on gave Kurtz hit his first career .

Key stat

Butler became the first A’s player to hit a since Elmer Valo on June 25, 1943.

Up next

Atlanta’s Bryce Elder (2-6, 5.92 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Wednesday against Mitch Spence (2-4, 4.06) in the second of a three-game series.

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The Associated Press