Pirates Give Up Three Home Runs, Lose Series Finale To Braves 7-1
ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley drove in five runs while hitting two of Atlanta's three homers and the Braves capped their impressive power display in the series by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 on Sunday.
Dansby Swanson added a two-run homer. The Braves hit 15 homers, adding to their major league lead while winning three of four games against the Pirates.
Max Fried (2-2) allowed one run and four hits and three walks in seven innings. It was his fourth consecutive start allowing only one run. After finishing April with an 11.45 ERA, the left-hander has lowered the mark to 4.63.
Fried enjoyed strong support from Atlanta's suddenly productive lineup.
After losing the opening game of the four-game series 6-4 on Thursday night, the Braves outscored the Pirates 33-3 in three consecutive wins. They hit seven homers, including Riley's first career two-homer game, in a 20-1 win on Friday night.
Riley's second two-homer game of the series on Sunday gave him nine for the season, but he hasn't relied only on power. An eight-game hitting streak has lifted his batting average to .320. Entering the game, he ranked second in the NL with his .412 on-base percentage.
Ozzie Albies had two hits and scored three runs. Albies, who homered from both sides of the plate in Saturday's 6-1 win, had three in the series.
Bryan Reynolds' double to the left-field corner drove in Adam Frazier in the first inning. The Pirates didn't manage another run off Fried.
Pittsburgh right-hander JT Brubaker (3-4) allowed seven runs and seven hits, including three homers, in 5 1/3 innings. He has allowed a combined 12 runs in losing back-to-back starts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes (left wrist strain) was 1-for-2 with a single while playing three innings in his first rehab assignment game with Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday. Hayes, on the 60-day injured list, is eligible to return on June 3. ... RHP Chad Kuhl (right shoulder) will make his second rehab start with Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Braves: RHP Shane Greene struck out the side in his only inning on Saturday night in his first appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett. Greene, 32, re-signed with Atlanta on May 9. He had a 2.60 ERA in 28 games with Atlanta in 2020. ... RHP Bryse Wilson was optioned to Gwinnett following his win on Saturday night and RHP Jay Flaa was recalled for bullpen depth.
UP NEXT
Pirates: Pittsburgh has not announced its starter for Tuesday night's opener of a home series against the Chicago Cubs. The Pirates are off on Monday.
Braves: Following a day off on Monday, RHP Charlie Morton (2-2, 4.60) is scheduled to start when the Braves open a two-game series at Boston on Tuesday night.
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