Athletics defeat Braves 5-2 in Atlanta

The Athletics continued their interleague series with the Braves today at Truist Park in Atlanta. Making his first official start of the season for the A’s was 30-year-old righty Aaron Civale. He was 4-9 with a 4.85 ERA last season for three MLB ball clubs. Civale matched up against 28-year-old lefty José Suarez for the Braves. Suarez just pitched in nineteen innings for the Braves last season, going 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA.

After a quiet top of the first inning, the Braves got on the board first when reigning National League R-O-Y Drake Baldwin knocked his third homer of the year to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

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In the top of the second, Brent Rooker led off with a single but was erased on a double play ball by Soderstrom. Max Muncy walked and advanced to second on a balk and scored on a single by Andy Ibáñez. Lawrence Butler and Denzel Clarke each walked and Jacob Wislon hit a ground rule double to drive in two.

Max Muncy doubled to lead off the fourth inning. Andy Ibáñez drove in his second run of the game with a base hit. Headed to the bottom of the fourth, the A’s led 4-1.

Shea Langeliers knocked his fourth homer of the year against the team that drafted him to bring the score to 5-1 for the A’s.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hogan Harris replaced Aaron Civale. Civale’s final line:

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• 5.0 innings, two earned runs, four hits and one walk. He struck out three.

Harris flirted with disaster walking the first two Braves of the inning but buckled down and escaped unharmed.

Denzel Clarke ripped a single into right centerfield, and then Jacob Wilson shocked the stadium with a bunt single down the first base line. Shea Langeliers ground into a double play, erasing Wilson but moving Clarke to third with two outs. Kurtz flied out to left field to end the threat.

Justin Sterner replaced Harris in the bottom of the seventh, he walked Dominic Smith and then Mauricio Dubón reached on a throwing error by Max Muncy. That brought up Ronald Acuña Jr. who struck out swinging.

Scott Barlow replaced Sterner in the eighth. This was his third appearance in the kelly-green and gold. He tossed a 1-2-3 inning to get the A’s to the ninth.

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Mark Leiter Jr. was brought in to shut the Braves down in the ninth. It would be his first save opportunity of the year. He didn’t make it easy on himself, but in the end, he struck out former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and got Drake Baldwin to pop out to end the game. The A’s first victory of the season came at the expense of the Atlanta Braves, 5-2.

The A’s go for the series win tomorrow at 9:15 AM PDT.