MLB roundup: Ronald Acuna Jr.’s historic slam lifts Braves

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a grand slam Thursday that landed in the record books, powering the visiting Atlanta Braves to a wild 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opening game of a showdown series between the top two teams in the National League.

Acuna became the first player with 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in the same season as the Braves moved five games clear of the Dodgers atop the NL. Acuna had three hits, four RBIs and a walk. In addition to belting his 30th homer, he stole his 62nd base.

Austin Riley and Michael Harris II both homered and singled while Spencer Strider recovered from a slow start to help Atlanta earn its fourth consecutive victory and its eighth in nine games.

Mookie Betts hit two home runs for the Dodgers to keep pace in his MVP duel with Acuna. Max Muncy and rookie Michael Busch also went deep as Los Angeles fell just short after trailing 7-1. Los Angeles starter Lance Lynn (10-10) gave up seven runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Giants 7, Padres 2

Jakob Junis and Sean Manaea held the Padres scoreless through the first seven innings and the Giants turned two errors by Padres first baseman Matthew Batten into a six-run third inning as San Francisco scored a victory in San Diego.

Mike Yastrzemski hit his 12th homer of the season and drove in two runs as the Giants scored their fourth win in five games since a 2-7 stretch. Junis started for the Giants and worked four hitless innings.

Padres starter Pedro Avila (0-2) gave up six runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts in three innings. However, only one of the runs he yielded was earned as San Diego lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Tigers 4, Yankees 3 (10 inn.)

Kerry Carpenter scored on a throwing error by second baseman Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the 10th inning and host Detroit salvaged the finale of a four-game series with New York.

The Yankees botched a potential inning-ending double play on a ball hit by Zack Short after Parker Meadows was intentionally walked with one out. Carpenter was the automatic runner to start the inning.

Short hit a solo homer earlier in the game to break a scoreless tie and the Tigers later added two more runs, but the Yankees tied the game with two outs in the ninth on Anthony Volpe’s three-run homer. Volpe also doubled as New York’s three-game winning streak ended.

Marlins 6, Nationals 1

Starter Braxton Garrett held Washington to one run and three hits over six innings and Jazz Chisholm Jr. ripped a three-run homer as visiting Miami won.

Garrett made it through his stint while issuing one walk and striking out one batter. JT Chargois, Steven Okert and A.J. Puk each followed with a hitless, scoreless inning to complete the three-hitter and boost Miami to just its fourth victory in 14 games.

Jake Burger also homered, while Josh Bell had three hits and Chisholm, Luis Arraez and Garrett Hampson each added two hits for the Marlins. Nationals starter Joan Adon (2-1) took the loss, giving up five runs and nine hits in five innings.

—Field Level Media