Ozuna, Albies go back-to-back as Braves beat Brewers 6-3

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marcell Ozuna and Ozzie Albies hit Atlanta’s first back-to-back homers of the season to help the Braves snap a three-game skid with a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Atlanta led 2-1 before Ozuna and Albies went deep against reliever Eric Lauer.

On Lauer’s first pitch of the fifth inning, Ozuna blasted a 439-foot drive to center field that bounced off the American Family Insurance sign at the bottom of the scoreboard. Ozuna heard a chorus of boos from the Milwaukee crowd when he stopped as he rounded third base to pose for an imaginary selfie, a home run celebration he started doing during the 2020 postseason.

Albies followed Ozuna’s shot by sending a 3-2 pitch over the center-field wall as well. Albies’ homer was projected at 425 feet.

After the Braves squandered leads each of the last three days against Toronto, they built a five-run advantage and hung on this time. Atlanta's beleaguered bullpen still made things interesting, as Josh Tomlin allowed back-to-back homers to Luis Urías and Manny Piña in the ninth inning.

Atlanta starter Drew Smyly, who signed a one-year, $11 million contract with the Braves in the offseason, showed he is starting to come around after a rough first month with his new team.

The 31-year-old left-hander has lasted six innings while giving up just one run in each of his last two starts. Smyly (2-2) allowed 21 runs — 17 earned — over 19 innings in four April starts.

Milwaukee, which has lost nine of 12, took a 1-0 lead in the second when Urías’ single through a drawn-in infield brought home Avisaíl García from third.

The Braves capitalized on Brewers starter Adrian Houser’s wildness to pull ahead for good in the third.

After Houser (3-4) walked the bases loaded, Austin Riley hit a two-out shot that...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Ozuna-Albies-go-back-to-back-as-Braves-beat-16179034.php