More big blasts might be in store as A’s, Braves wrap up series

The Athletics smacked five homers in a victory in the opening game of their three-game series with the Braves, and Atlanta responded with five homers while winning the middle contest.

So entering Thursday’s finale of the set at West Sacramento, Calif., it wouldn’t be a shocker to see another power display.

Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. hit two of the homers in Wednesday’s 9-2 victory, one night after being scratched due to lower-back tightness.

The five-time All-Star didn’t appear hampered when he lined the third pitch of the game well beyond the fence in left. His other blast went to right-center in the fourth inning.

“I guess all the work they did on him (Tuesday) during that game (helped),” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said after Wednesday’s win. “This morning, he said he felt a lot better. That’s good because those things can be troublesome — whether it was the bed or he said he was moving around in the weight room. … It’s behind him now, hopefully.”

It marked the 14th time that Acuna hit multiple homers in a game out of the leadoff spot. Drake Baldwin hit a three-run blast and Austin Riley and Marcell Ozuna also homered as the Braves halted a five-game slide. The win was just their third in the past 13 games.

In the series opener, it was the A’s sending balls all over the park. Lawrence Butler hit two homers — one inside-the-park — while Nick Kurtz hit his first career grand slam. Brent Rooker and Max Muncy also hit blasts as the Athletics rolled to a 10-1 win.

In fact, the A’s scoring nine runs in the first two innings of Tuesday’s contest remained on Snitker’s mind even as his squad held a 7-0 lead on Wednesday.

“I’m glad we kept scoring and kept adding on because I never felt comfortable,” Snitker said. “In a place like this, I don’t think you do.”

The Athletics didn’t have All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson on Wednesday after he was hit by a pitch in the first inning of Tuesday’s game. Wilson has a left-hand contusion and was glad X-rays came back negative Tuesday night.

“It’s a big sigh of relief, for sure,” Wilson said. “The anxiety of waiting the 15, 20 minutes after it happened. Nothing was broken. It could’ve been a lot worse, so everything’s good.”

A’s manager Mark Kotsay said Snitker called him to apologize about Wilson being hit. The plunking was by 20-year-old rookie Didier Fuentes, who was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett following that outing.

Kotsay said he was unsure if Wilson would be able to play on Thursday.

“There’s soreness,” Kotsay said. “The positive is that he can put a bat in his hand.”

Right-hander Spencer Strider (3-7, 3.93 ERA) will take the ball for the Braves on Thursday night.

Strider has dropped his past two starts after winning the previous three decisions. He fell to the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 on Friday when he gave up three runs and seven hits over six innings.

He beat the Athletics in his lone start against them on Sept. 7, 2022. He gave up two runs and two hits over six innings and struck out nine in a 7-3 win.

Left-hander JP Sears (7-7, 4.76 ERA) draws the start for the Athletics on Thursday. He is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in two career starts against the Braves.

Sears has put together back-to-back strong starts, tossing 11 2/3 scoreless innings while beating the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. Against the Giants last Friday, he gave up three hits over six innings in an 11-2 victory.

–Field Level Media