Today's Three Things: Braves Blowout Diamondbacks In Series Opener

Atlanta jumped on Ryne Nelson's fastball early and cruised to a blowout win

The Atlanta Braves blew out the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2 in Phoenix’s Chase Field on Thursday night.

Here is Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

The top of the 5th inning.

Holding a narrow 2-1 lead, the middle and bottom of Atlanta’s lineup got to work. Ozzie Albies drew a leadoff walk, aided by a 3-2 ABS challenge that overturned his strikeout looking into a free pass to first. After a Michael Harris II lineout, Dom Smith drew his own walk and Mauricio Dubón reached via a fielder’s choice that had the rare Nolan Arenado fielding error attached.

When the lineup turned over, Ronald Acuña Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk to bring up the red-hot Drake Baldwin. In Atlanta’s second challenge of the inning, the Braves dugout challenged and overturned the back half of a double-play to keep the inning alive (and score Dom Smith from third base). And then the rails came off - a Matt Olson RBI double chased starter Ryne Nelson from the game, with reliever Kevin Ginkel giving up a double to two-RBI Austin Riley, a walk, a single, and yet another double to push Atlanta’s lead to 10-1. By the time a groundout of Dom Smith mercifully ended the inning, Atlanta had put 8 runs on the board and sent many Arizona fans heading for the exits.

Today’s Player of the Game

We’re giving it to Matt Olson.

Oly went deep in the 1st inning for his first homer of the season before adding the aforementioned 5th-inning RBI double to his tally. He finished the night with two runs scored and two driven in.

As nice as the homer was - a six-pitch at-bat that ended by jumping on a center-cut fastball, the third at-bat with the double was more impressive. Understanding that Nelson had both failed to get Ronald to chase his four-seamer and then watched Baldwin put it in play for an RBI, Olson was sitting on the cutter and laced a first-pitch inside cutter to right. Good piece of awareness and film study as a hitter by Olson.

What You’ll Be Talking About

Atlanta’s ‘big three’ getting off their skid for a night.

Acuña, Olson, and Riley combined for four hits, two of them being doubles, as well as a homer, three runs, four RBI, and three walks. In retrospect, it’s amazing to think about Atlanta going 4-2 in their first two series of the year with the trio combining for three doubles, three RBI, and four runs in the first six games…while striking out twenty times.

Bonus history: This game saw 11 different Braves with an RBI, a franchise record for a single game. It’s only the fourth time in franchise history that all nine members of the original lineup recorded an RBI since it became a stat in 1920, joining the 2001, 1985, and 1936 rosters. (H/T MLB.com’s Sarah Langs)

Looking for more discussion about this game?

Here’s tonight’s Postcast, with me and Locked On Braves host Jake Mastroianni, as we went live to break down the win.

What’s Next for the Braves?

The Braves are looking to secure at least a series split tomorrow night, with Grant Holmes (0-1, 5.40) matching up against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00). First pitch is scheduled for 9:45 PM ET.