Orlando Arcia singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning to complete a two-run rally and help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting Seattle Mariners 6-2 in the opener of a three-game series Friday.
The Braves, who have won three of their past four games, tied it on Marcell Ozuna’s RBI single and took the lead when Arcia singled sharply to right off reliever Trevor Gott, extending his hitting streak to six games. Arcia has hit safely in eight of 10 games since returning from the injured list.
The Braves iced it with a three-run eighth. Matt Olson hit his 12th homer to open the inning and Ozuna added a two-run single with the bases loaded.
The uprising handed Seattle rookie Bryce Miller (2-1) his first major league loss. Miller pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits, one walk and four strikeouts.
The winning pitcher was Collin McHugh (2-0). Nick Anderson and Raisel Iglesias each pitched a scoreless inning to finish the game.
Atlanta starter Bryce Elder, pitching on his 24th birthday, worked six-plus innings and was knocked out in the top of the seventh. He allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one and whiffed six.
The Braves scored in the first inning when Ronald Acuna Jr. and Olson hit back-to-back doubles.
The Mariners, who have dropped three in a row, had an opportunity in the sixth. J.P. Crawford doubled to center field and went to third on a wild pitch. Ty France flew out to shallow center and Michael Harris II charged it and threw a strike to nail Crawford, who was tagged standing up, about six feet from home plate.
Seattle took the lead with two runs in the seventh. Julio Rodriguez doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Eugenio Suarez singled to left. After Acuna took away an extra-base hit from Cal Raleigh with a leaping catch against the wall, Teoscar Hernandez delivered a single against McHugh that allowed Jarred Kelenic to score.
France went 0-for-4 and saw his hitting streak end at 14 games. Acuna’s homer streak ended at four games.
–Field Level Media
