Michael Harris and Ronald Acuña Jr. launched decisive homers while Tyler Mahle stifled Houston’s bats, securing Atlanta's postseason berth with a power-hitting clinic at Daikin Park.
The Atlanta Braves came into Houston Friday night with a chance to clinch their spot in the MLB playoffs, and after their first of three games against the Astros, they did.
They faced Houston pitcher Peter Lambert, who hadn't posted a win since the All-Star break. Not because of poor pitching, but because his teammates haven’t produced runs. Lambert retired Atlanta in order in the first and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning when Matt Olson singled.
Outfielder Michael Harris immediately made his presence known with a two-run home run into the Crawford boxes in left field. The second time through the lineup was not treating Lambert well.
Tyler Mahle, meanwhile, is 4-1 since joining the Braves at the trade deadline and has allowed no more than two runs in a start. Mahle walked Yordan Alvarez in the first but got out of the inning without allowing a run.
Like Lambert, the second time through the order wasn’t as kind to Mahle. Yordan Alvarez got things started in the fourth with a cue-shot double down the left-field line. Isaac Paredes scored Alvarez on a single, bringing the Astros within a run.
Jose Altuve recorded the third straight Astros hit of the inning with a tap to Austin Riley at third base. The hits weren't coming with the same exit velocity or distance as the Braves', but a hit’s a hit.
With runners on first and third with one out, Tyler Mahle yielded a soft hit fly ball to center field, not deep enough for Paredes to tag up and score. With two outs, Mahle got Taylor Trammell to hit a hard ground ball to Matt Olson at first base, who ended the inning.
Atlanta had a chance to add on in the sixth inning. Peter Lambert had loaded the bases with one out and was pulled after missing badly and walking Ozzie Albies.
Right-hander AJ Blubaugh came in at a tough spot and was magnificent. He got behind early to Mike Yasztremski 2-0, but battled and eventually struck out the left-hander before a broken-bat line drive ended the inning on his next hitter.
Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña had yet to introduce himself Friday night, but he came in having reached base safely in 17 of his last 19 games while hitting .373 with a 1.075 OPS. With a runner on first, Blubaugh grooved a fastball down the middle, and Acuña deposited it into the left-field seats to extend the Braves' lead to 4-1.
Isaac Paredes added an RBI single to make it 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Acuña made another huge play, this time in the field, diving to steal a hit and RBI from Houston.
Matt Olson cashed in a big insurance run in the ninth with a long opposite-field homerun, scoring Drake Baldwin, who very nearly left the yard two batters before.
Raisel Iglesias shut the door in the ninth inning to seal a 6-2 victory, and the Braves return to the playoffs.
