Matt Olson’s fielder’s choice brought in the go-ahead run, d’Arnaud contributed an RBI single, and Laureano sealed the victory with a two-run double in the 10th inning as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-6 on Tuesday night. Olson’s hit to second base allowed the automatic runner to score as the throw home was not in time. D’Arnaud and Laureano then added hits to help the Braves come back against Twins’ closer Duran. Atlanta, who initially led 4-0, secured their victory, marking their eighth win in 10 games. They are currently trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by 6 games in the National League East and holding the final wild-card spot in the East by 3 1/2 games over the New York Mets.
Atlanta’s closer Iglesias blew a save after giving up Larnach’s game-tying RBI double in the eighth inning. However, Johnson closed out the game, striking out Wallner with the tying run at first. Harris, returning to the Braves’ lineup after being hit by a pitch on Sunday, hit his eighth home run of the year in the second inning. Ozuna also contributed with two hits, including a two-run double in the fifth, bringing his RBI total to 98, which places him third in the majors behind Aaron Judge and José Ramírez.
On the Twins’ side, Larnach and Julien hit RBI doubles, and Wallner added an RBI single in the seventh inning, with Larnach driving in three runs on the night. The game featured a matchup between rookies Schwellenbach and Woods Richardson, which set a record for the most combined letters in the last names of starting pitching matchups in MLB history. Schwellenbach threw 106 pitches in 4 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and three walks. Woods Richardson was also lifted after 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on three hits and three walks.
In other news, the Twins’ Joe Ryan, dealing with a right shoulder strain, was moved to the 60-day injured list, ruling him out for the rest of the regular season. Looking ahead, Chris Sale with a 14-3 record and 2.62 ERA will start for the Braves in the series finale, while Minnesota will have rookie David Festa (2-3, 5.20) on the mound.
