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05/01 18:26 CDT Chris Sale tosses 5 strong innings, Braves avoid sweep with 5-2
win over Mariners
Chris Sale tosses 5 strong innings, Braves avoid sweep with 5-2 win over
Mariners
By TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE (AP) --- Chris Sale allowed one run over five innings and struck out
nine, Austin Riley had the big blow at the plate with a two-run triple, and the
Atlanta Braves salvaged the final game of a three-game series with a 5-2 win
over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
The NL East-leading Braves rebounded after suffering back-to-back defeats for
the first time this season with another strong start from Sale and Atlanta's
offense taking advantage of an error to score four unearned runs off Seattle
starter Emerson Hancock.
"Swung the bat well, I thought. Even some of the outs were really good, so
that's a really good sign any time you get something going offensively,"
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "We've been kind of struggling to hit on
all cylinders. It looked a little bit closer today."
Sale (4-1) continued to flash signs of his former self --- one of the most
dominant lefties in the game before injuries sidetracked his career. He used
his assortment of arm angles and pitch shapes to reach a season high in
strikeouts while scattering six hits. The only run Sale allowed came with two
outs in the fifth inning on Jorge Polanco's blooper.
Sale won his third straight decision and has a 2.36 ERA over his last three
starts.
"I want to get back to doing what I know I can do. What I'm capable of doing,
and just doing what I need to do for this team," Sale said. "As a starting
pitcher we pride ourselves on posting and getting deep into games and that's
what we're here to do."
Atlanta scored four times in the fourth inning, all with two outs. Right
fielder Mitch Haniger gave the Braves that opportunity when he dropped Orlando
Arcia's popup down the right field line. It was Seattle's second error of the
day and the most costly.
Hancock retired Chadwick Tromp for the second out, but Ronald Acua Jr. and
Ozzie Albies reached on back-to-back singles to plate one run, and Haniger
couldn't come up with Riley's deep drive as he crashed into the right field
wall. That gave the Braves a 4-0 lead.
Matt Olson capped the inning with a sharp single off reliever Trent Thornton
that scored Riley.
"Too many free bases today. Uncharacteristically we walked a few guys, made
some errors and you've got to play clean to beat good teams and they took
advantage of it there in the fourth inning," Seattle manager Scott Servais said.
The Mariners missed out on an unlikely sweep of one of the best teams in the
majors, but still closed out a nine-game stretch going 6-3 against Texas,
Arizona and Atlanta.
Seattle brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, when Raisel Iglesias
walked Luke Raley and gave up a single to Julio Rodrguez. But Iglesias got
popups from Haniger and Polanco and a groundout from Cal Raleigh to finish off
his eighth save.
Hancock (3-3) lasted just 3 2/3 innings and was struggling even before the
problems in the fourth. He walked four, including a bases-loaded walk to
Marcell Ozuna with two outs in the third after Hancock was ahead 0-2 in the
count.
"I feel like I didn't really execute pitches that well, especially in the
fourth. You really got to bear down there and make some pitches to get out of
it," Hancock said.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta will open a three-game series on Friday against the Los Angeles
Dodgers. RHP Charlie Morton (2-0, 3.60 ERA) will start the opener.
Mariners: After an off day, Seattle opens a three-game series in Houston on
Friday with RHP George Kirby (3-2, 4.18) starting.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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