On a night when Spencer Strider started and Ronald Acuna Jr. went deep, Orlando Arcia emerged as the Atlanta Braves’ star in a 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas.
Arcia broke a 5-5 tie in the ninth inning with a solo home run off Rangers reliever Brock Burke (2-2). Arcia sent an 0-1 changeup from Burke over the right-center-field fence.
Texas lost its first rubber game of the season. Atlanta won the series 2-1 after being swept at Toronto last weekend.
Braves reliever Nick Anderson (2-0) was credited with the victory after throwing a scoreless eighth. Right-hander Raisel Iglesias worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save of the season.
Texas had a 5-3 lead going into the eighth inning before letting it get away.
Acuna drew a leadoff walk off Rangers reliever Josh Sborz to open the inning, then stole second. Ozzie Albies drove Acuna home with a one-out single, and then Austin Riley doubled to tie the game at 5-5.
Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi saw his scoreless innings streak end at 29 2/3 innings in the second inning. After Austin Riley led off with a single, Eddie Rosario turned on a first-pitch splitter from Eovaldi to give the Braves an early 2-0 lead.
Eovaldi responded with three scoreless innings as Texas took a 3-2 lead with three runs in the fourth, highlighted by a solo home run by Adolis Garcia. Garcia homered again in the fifth to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead.
Atlanta pulled to within 4-3 in the sixth on an Acuna homer, but Texas took a 5-3 advantage in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Corey Seager, who was activated off the injured list before the game.
Eovaldi allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts over seven innings.
Strider was charged with four runs on six hits in five innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts.
–Field Level Media