Matt Olson’s grand slam headlined a massive seven-run sixth inning for the Atlanta Braves, propelling them to an 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.
Olson collected three hits, including his ninth career grand slam, while Sean Murphy added a three-run homer. Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies each chipped in with two hits as the Braves overcame a 2-0 deficit and dealt with more roster adversity following news that young right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach would hit the injured list with a fractured elbow.
Jurickson Profar, returning after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, made an immediate impact with a 2-for-4 performance, including a home run and two runs scored.
Braves reliever Aaron Bummer (1-1) picked up the win, retiring all eight batters he faced in relief of rookie starter Didier Fuentes.
The Angels struck early, with Jo Adell extending his hitting streak to 13 games by knocking in two runs with a first-inning single. Jorge Soler added his 200th career homer with a solo shot in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Atlanta’s offensive eruption.
The turning point came with two outs in the sixth inning. Trailing 2-0, the Braves got on the board when Murphy launched a 406-foot homer to left off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn, scoring Profar and Albies. Following a single by Harris and walks to Nick Allen and Ronald Acuña Jr., Olson crushed a 97 mph fastball to right field for a grand slam that gave Atlanta a commanding 7-2 lead.
Los Angeles second baseman Christian Moore exited the game in the sixth with a thumb injury after landing awkwardly while diving for a grounder from Albies.
Key Moment
Olson’s grand slam traveled 358 feet and capped the Braves’ comeback. It was their second grand slam in four games, after going homerless with the bases loaded through the first 81 games of the season.
Key Stat
Zeferjahn faced six batters in the sixth without recording an out. He surrendered two homers, walks, and singles, and saw his ERA balloon from 4.78 to 6.19.
Up Next
The series finale features Braves right-hander Bryce Elder (2-5, 5.82 ERA) against Angels right-hander José Soriano (5-5, 3.99 ERA) on Thursday night.
