“Shocking Epic Comeback: Braves Win CHAOTIC Extra-Inning Battle With D-Backs Despite Suarez’s 4 HR Night in Walk-Off Thriller Grant Holmes Implodes, Suarez Goes Nuclear… Then Braves Flip the Script!

 

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Aiming to take the series in Arizona, the Braves turned to Grant Holmes, while the Diamondbacks sent veteran Merrill Kelly to the mound.

Things started strong for Atlanta, with solo home runs from Marcell Ozuna in the first and Sean Murphy in the second. However, Holmes gave up a solo shot to Eugenio Suarez in the second, keeping the game close. Atlanta made some solid contact in the third but couldn’t capitalize beyond an Ozuna single, while Holmes struck out the side in the bottom half.

The fourth inning unraveled for Holmes after walking two batters. He got a groundout but then surrendered a two-run single and another homer to Suarez, flipping a 2-1 lead into a 5-2 deficit. Despite another single, Holmes managed to escape the inning and added 1.2 more frames of work before Suarez launched his third homer off him, ending Holmes’ night. Outside of Suarez, Holmes was effective, but command issues and those homers proved costly.

Grant Holmes,

The Braves’ bats came alive after Kelly exited in the seventh. Ozzie Albies singled, stole second, and scored on a clutch Eli White homer — a payoff for manager Brian Snitker’s decision to start him over Jarred Kelenic. In the eighth, Matt Olson walked to spark a two-out rally, followed by another walk from Murphy, an RBI single by Ozzie, and a two-run double from Michael Harris that gave Atlanta a 7-6 lead.

Daysbel Hernandez handled the eighth, and despite two walks — one questionable — he escaped thanks to a slick Olson double play and a 99 mph strikeout to end the inning. He’s quickly emerging as a key bullpen piece.

Atlanta loaded the bases in the ninth but couldn’t score after Olson lined into a tough double play. Raisel Iglesias came in and immediately gave up Suarez’s fourth homer of the night, tying the game. After allowing a single, he escaped the jam with a bunt pop-up and a double play to send it to extras.

In the 10th, a swinging bunt and a wild pitch allowed Matt Olson to score as the zombie runner, giving Atlanta an 8-7 lead. Dylan Lee pitched the bottom of the 10th, holding the runner at third with the help of solid defense — including a game-saving play from Austin Riley and a slick scoop by Olson to seal the win (confirmed on replay).

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