(AP) — Austin Riley knocked in Ronald Acuña Jr. with a 10th-inning single Sunday, and the Atlanta Braves rallied late to beat the Guardians 4-3 and win a three-game series between the top two teams in the majors.
A.J. Minter (4-1) picked up the win by throwing a scoreless 10th inning.
Emmanuel Clase (1-0) took the loss.
The win was the 11th in the last 13 games by the Braves. The Guardians had won their four previous road series before coming to Truist Park for the first time ever.
The Braves won the opener Friday before the teams split extra-inning games on Saturday and Sunday.
“It was everything you could ask for in a series,” Minter said. “It felt like a postseason series. Luckily we had some timely hitting when we needed it the most in extras. That’s how we got it done.”
The Guardians ran themselves out of the 10th inning. Stephen Kwan was picked off trying to steal third with one out just before José Ramírez singled, and then Ramírez ended the ending when he overran second trying to steal a base.
“(Orlando) Arcia and Ozzie (Albies) were telling me to peek the runner,” said Minter, who stepped off and threw to Riley at third to get the pickoff. “They saw something, so I moved over and luckily I guessed right. That was the difference in the game. Arcia and Ozzie, the pitch before that, they whistled at me to keep an eye out.”
Riley was 2-for-4 with a walk, and Ozzie Albies was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Braves tied the game 3-3 in the eighth on an RBI double by Albies and an RBI single by Matt Olson.
Braves starter Bryce Elder lasted 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. After having no walks in his first start of the season, Elder struggled a bit with control, walking four, having a hit batsman and throwing two wild pitches. The last wild pitch allowed Brayan Rocchio to score from third with the Guardians’ second run in the fifth inning.
“It was good damage control,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “It felt like we were down by about six runs. That’s the thing about Bryce. He never stops pitching. He keeps making his pitches, keeps his composure and did a good job.”
Elder was also hit on the right foot by a 95 mph comebacker from Andrés Giménez in the third inning. After a visit from the athletic trainer, Elder threw two warmup pitches and stayed in the game.
Guardians starter Ben Lively gave up one run in 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and two walks.
Rocchio was 2-for-3 with two steals and two runs scored, and Giménez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a steal for the Guardians.
The Guardians were aggressive on the base paths. One day after pulling off a key double steal late in a 4-2 win, the Guardians stole three more bases Saturday, though they were also picked off twice and thrown out twice.
“I don't want these guys to slow down,” said first-year Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt. “Let's learn from the mistakes and just keep getting better.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: LHP Sam Hentges (left middle finger swelling) made his fourth rehab appearance with Triple-A Columbus on Sunday when he started against Syracuse. He threw one inning, striking out two in an 11-pitch appearance. The reliever threw 17 pitches on Friday in 2/3 of an inning as he gets closer to a big-league return.
UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (1-2, 4.63) will face the Astros RHP Hunter Brown (0-4, 9.68) in Game 1 of a three-game series in Houston on Tuesday.
Braves: LHP Max Fried (2-0 4.97) will open a three-game series in Seattle against Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (3-2, 2.22) on Monday.
