By DJ Harding
The Atlanta Braves play the first of three games against the Kansas City Royals.
Atlanta is off to a hot start with a record of 10-4. Which is tied for the best record in the NL and tied for second best in the league.
The Braves are coming off a series sweep against the Reds. Each game was decided by one point and was Atlanta’s first home series win of the season after losing 3-1 to the Padres the series before.
Atlanta coming off three straight wins would get it going early for the Royals. With Ronald Acuna hitting a lead off single to start the game.
Matt Olson would then come up and hit a home run to give the Braves a 2-0 lead with no outs.
Austin Riley would follow Olson and give the Braves back to back Homeruns. Extending the lead to three runs.
Sean Murphy would strikeout to give the Braves the first out of the game. Edie Rosario would hit a double.
Ozzie Albies, like Murphy, would strikeout before Vaughn Grissom wild hit a double that would score Rosario and give the Braves four first inning runs.
Kansas City would get a lead off hit of their own from MJ Melendez. After a Melendez double Bobby Witt Jr would hit a single.
Vinnie Pasquanitnowould grounded into a force out which scored Melendez and gave the Royals one run.
In the top of the second the Braves would still lead 4-1. Sam Hillard would lead off the second with the third straight lead off hit of the game. Hillard’s hit would soar over the wall for a home run.
Ronald Acuna and Matt Olson would then follow the homerun with singles. Before Sean Murphy would hit a double and score them both which gave them 7 runs.
The bottom of the second and the third inning would go scoreless. The next scores would come off a Micheal Massey sacrifice fly to give the Royals two runs.
In the top of the fifth inning Sean Murphy would homerun to bring the score to 8-2 with the Braves leading.
In the bottom of the fifth inning a MJ Melendez walk along with singles by Bobby Witt Jr and Salvador Perez would load the bases for the Royals.
Kyle Isbel would go up to bat with the bases loaded and get hit by a pitch which would score Melendez and give the Royals three runs.
Edward Olivares the next batter would ground into a double play and end the fifth inning which would be the last time the Royals scored.
The Braves last time scoring would happen in the top of the sixth when Sam Hilliard would get on base with a walk and score from a Ronald Acuna Jr home run.
The score after six innings was 10-3 and would stay that way being the final score.
Charlie Morton, the starting pitcher for the Braves, would pick up the win after pitching six innings allowing six hits, two earned runs, and striking out five batters.
Morton now has a record of 2-1 on the season.
Brady Singer the Royals starter would be handed a loss after giving up 10 hits and 8 runs in five innings.
Singer would also have eight strikeouts as he now has a record of 1-1.
The Atlanta Braves improve to a record of 10-4 which is first in the NL East and tied for best in the National League.
The Kansas City Royals fall to 4-10 which has them at fifth and last place in the AL Central.
Both teams will compete tomorrow for Jackie Robinson Day in game two of the three game series.
Atlanta Sports Journal 