Braves first MLB team to clinch playoff berth this year, rally to beat Pirates 5-2
The Atlanta Braves became the first team to clinch a playoff berth, rallying to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Sunday as Matt Olson went 2 for 3 with three RBIs.
Atlanta (93-49) reached the postseason for the sixth straight year, the second-longest streak in franchise history. The Braves won 11 straight NL East titles from 1995-2005.
Entering Sunday, the Braves held a 14-game lead over second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.
Ronald Acuña Jr. had a key two-out single to spark the seventh-inning rally and had two RBIs.
Brad Hand (4-1) won in relief of rookie Allan Winans, who allowed two runs and six hits while striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings. AJ Minter struck out the side in the eighth and Raisel Iglesias pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save in 31 chances.
Colin Selby (2-1) gave up four runs in just one-third of an inning. Pirates rookie Luis Ortiz allowed one run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings against the major leagues' highest-scoring offense.
Bryan Reynolds and Jake Suwinski had RBI doubles in the sixth. Matt Olson's run-scoring groundout cut the deficit in the sixth.
With the Braves trailing 2-1 in the seventh and chants of 'M-V-P' being heard across Truist Park, Acuña hit a two-run single over Suwinski that short-hopped the center-field wall. Olson followed with a two-run single.
UP NEXT
Pirates: LHP Patrick Corbin (9-13, 5.23) will pitch the first game of a four-game series at home against Washington on Monday.
Braves: RHP Charlie Morton (14-11, 3.32) will face Phillies RHP Tajuan Walker (15-5, 4.15) in the opening game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia on Monday as the top two NL East teams begin a four-game series. Phillies LHP Christopher Sanchez (2-3, 3.26) will pitch Game 2. The Braves have not announced a starter for the second game of the doubleheader.
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