The Atlanta Braves, owners of MLB’s best record, will send Bryce Elder to the mound on Sunday in search of a series sweep against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Braves won the first two games of the three-game set and secured their 18th series victory of the season after Saturday’s 6-3 victory. Atlanta has two three-game sweeps this year.
Elder (5-3, 2.63 ERA) will oppose fellow right-hander Bubba Chandler (2-6, 4.89) in the finale.
In his fifth season with Atlanta, Elder has made 13 starts and firmly re-established himself in the rotation. He bounced back from his worst start of the season, when he allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings against Boston on May 27, to beat the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. Elder pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs; it was the ninth time he’s gone at least six innings.
“My sinker wasn’t moving and I’ve never had my sinker not move like that, especially since that’s the pitch I probably throw more than any other pitch,” Elder said. “(Catcher) Sandy (Leon) did a heck of a job getting me through that. It was just kind of mixing stuff and navigating through the lineup.”
Elder has made three career starts against the Pirates, going 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA. He lost to Pittsburgh last year, although he turned in a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings.
Chandler ended a five-game losing streak by beating Houston on Tuesday. He pitched five innings and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks, striking out three. He settled down after allowing two first-inning runs and earned his first victory since April 17.
“It could have been completely different if Bubba gets out of his rhythm and started to press in the moment,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. “It could have been completely different. He stayed with it. He continued to attack the strike zone and got through five innings. He gave us a chance to get the win and got the win.”
Chandler’s inability to go deep has put additional stress on the Pittsburgh bullpen. He has pitched into the sixth only twice.
A native of Lawrenceville, Ga., Chandler has faced the Braves once. That came last September when the rookie allowed only one hit in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and no walks in a 3-1 road win.
Atlanta’s Mauricio Dubon, after homering in three straight games, did not on Saturday, but he had another pair of hits to lead a nine-hit attack. He started in center field since Michael Harris II was sidelined with back tightness.
Pittsburgh third baseman Tyler Callihan was in the lineup Saturday in his first start since May 5, 2025. Callihan, then with the Reds, broke his forearm in a violent collision with the wall at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
“I think he has embraced it,” Kelly said. “We were trying to make sure that we got him into a game and we just felt today was a good day to get Brandon Lowe to DH.”
Callihan had an RBI double, but Lowe had to be removed in the ninth inning Saturday after fouling a ball off his right kneecap. He was helped off the field by the training staff
“It was a scary moment,” Kelly told reporters after the game. “He’s getting checked out by the staff. Hopefully, we’ll have something soon. … It looked like (a foul ball) right around the knee. I know it didn’t hit his leg guard, so I’m hoping for the best there.”
–Field Level Media
