Strider pitches Braves past Pirates as streak continues
ATLANTA — Spencer Strider outpitched Roansy Contreras in a matchup of hard-throwing rookies, Dansby Swanson had three hits, including a two-run homer, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Friday night for their ninth straight win.
The winning streak is the National League’s longest this season. In the American League, the Houston Astros — the team Atlanta beat to win the World Series last fall — and the New York Yankees have had 11-game streaks this year.
The Braves are on their longest streak since another ninegame run from Aug. 13-22, 2021.
Strider (2-2) allowed only four hits with eight strikeouts and one walk in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Strider, making his first home start and only his third overall, pitched into the sixth inning for the first time.
The 23-year-old Strider began the season as a reliever before moving into the No. 5 spot in the rotation.
Contreras (1-1) had seven strikeouts, including four in his first pass through the Braves’ lineup, in his fourth start. The 22-yearold right-hander from the Dominican Republic allowed four runs (three earned) and eight hits with one walk in 4 2/3 innings.
Swanson’s third-inning homer off the left-field foul pole drove in rookie Michael Harris II, who singled and stole second. Ronald Acuña Jr. reached on an infield hit and was caught stealing before Swanson’s homer.
Ozzie Albies’ double to right field off Contreras in the fourth drove in Travis d’Arnaud, who singled and moved to second on left fielder Travis Swaggerty’s fielding error.
Strider was pulled after giving up singles to Bryan Reynolds and Michael Chavis in the sixth. Dylan Lee struck out Cal Mitchell to end the inning.
Atlanta led 4-0 before Chavis hit a ground-rule double off Jackson Stephens that bounced over the left-field wall to drive in Reynolds in the eighth. Cal Mitchell’s sacrifice fly drove in Daniel Vogelbach, cutting the Braves’ advantage to two runs.
Kenley Jansen recorded three straight outs in the ninth for his 17th save in 20 chances this year.
Including Contreras, the Pirates started five rookies. When asked about his lineup before the game, manager Derek Shelton smiled and said “we have three to five in there about every night.”
Acuña made a leaping catch on the right-field warning track of a drive hit by Michael Perez in the seventh.
Stephens stayed in after Reynolds’ grounder hit his right knee in the eighth. Reynolds reached on his second infield single of the game before scoring on the double by Chavis.
Atlanta left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek (left shoulder inflammation) threw long toss in the outfield before the game for the first time since being placed on the 10-day injured list on May 17. The next step is for Matzek to be cleared to throw from a mound.
Also Friday, the Braves claimed first baseman Mike Ford off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. Ford, who played 101 games with the New York Yankees from 2019-21, was designated for assignment by Seattle on Sunday.
The Braves optioned Ford, 29, to Triple-A Gwinnett. To clear a spot on Atlanta’s 40-man roster, infielder Joseph Dunand was designated for assignment. Dunand had been optioned to Gwinnett after he was claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins on June 1.
Ford hit .259 with 12 homers and 25 RBIs in 50 games for the Yankees in 2019. He hit .182 in 33 at-bats with the San Francisco Giants and Seattle this season. Overall, he has a .197 career batting average with 17 homers and 46 RBIs.