Olson homers twice, Strider Ks 9, Braves beat Nationals 7-1
Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson celebrates after his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Washington. Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
WASHINGTON — Matt Olson hit two of Atlanta's four homers, and Spencer Strider struck out nine batters in six scoreless innings, while consistently reaching 99 mph, leading the Braves to a 7-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Olson began the game with back-to-back solo shots, and Marcell Ozuna added one later for Atlanta — all off Josiah Gray, who allowed the most homers in the majors last season.
Olson's second drive of the day came in the seventh inning off Thaddeus Ward, a reliever making his major league debut. Olson produced 34 homers and 103 RBIs for NL East champion Atlanta in 2022.
Washington managed just three hits off Strider (1-0). In sum, he looked very much like the pitcher who was the runner-up to teammate Michael Harris II for NL Rookie of the Year honors last season, when he accumulated 202 strikeouts in just 131 2/3 innings.
Gray (0-1), meanwhile, allowed five runs in five innings, also looking quite a bit like the guy he was in 2022, when he gave up 38 homers and issued an NL-worst 66 walks.
The 25-year-old right-hander has been viewed as one of the building blocks for Washington since arriving from the Dodgers in the 2021 trade deadline deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to L.A.
To get things going, Acuña fell behind 0-2 before lining an 87 mph slider over the wall in left for his 27th career leadoff homer, extending his franchise record. Olson then launched a 92 mph fastball on a 2-0 count for a high-arcing drive to right.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Washington. Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
SCUFFLING AND SHUFFLING
Washington, coming off three last-place finishes since its 2019 World Series title, has been outscored 14-3 through two games so far. Keibert Ruiz homered off Kirby Yates in the ninth as strong winds scattered napkins from the stands onto the field. ... DH Joey Meneses, a 30-year-old rookie sensation last season, batted second again for the Nationals — the only player in the same spot in manager Dave Martinez's starting lineup for Games 1 and 2. He was 0 for 4 on Saturday, as was new leadoff batter Luis Garcia, who hit into a pair of double plays.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: Max Fried is going to need to go on the injured list with a strained left hamstring, manager Brian Snitker confirmed before Saturday's game, although he didn't say when the move actually would be made, how long the left-hander is expected to be out or who would replace him in the rotation. Fried hurt himself running to cover first base in the fourth inning Thursday.
Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr., celebrates after his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Washington. Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
UP NEXT
The Braves will try for a season-opening three-game sweep Sunday, when LHP Jared Shuster makes his major league debut against Nationals LHP MacKenzie Gore, who will making his first appearance with Washington. Gore already was out injured when he arrived from San Diego in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres.
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