ATLANTA — The home runs just keep coming for the 2023 Atlanta Braves, who are on course to be the most prolific power-hitting team in Major League Baseball history.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and Austin Riley went deep Wednesday as Atlanta cruised to a 12-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Truist Park, adding to its total as the MLB leader this season in both homers and wins.
Acuña launched a three-run shot over the center-field wall off Lucas Giolito (6-8) in the third inning, then Riley and Olson hit back-to-back homers in the fourth to cap a six-run outburst that finished off the Angels starter.
“It’s crazy,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “What these guys are doing is something else.”
The Braves (69-37) hit seven homers in all while taking two of three games from Los Angeles (56-53), with the long ball accounting for 11 of Atlanta’s 18 runs in the interleague series. Through 106 games, Atlanta has 206 homers; that’s on pace for 315 for the season, which would break the mark of 307 set by the 2019 Minnesota Twins.
“When you’re trying to hit homers, the results don’t come,” Riley said. “I think guys are going up there and just trying to put up good at-bats. Guys are strong, and they aren’t trying to do too much.”
Yonny Chirinos (5-4), making his second start for the Braves since being acquired after the Tampa Bay Rays designated him for assignment, pitched five strong innings before being lifted after the first two batters singled in the sixth. Chirinos wound up being charged with three runs after both runners came around to score against reliever Michael Tonkin, who could have escaped the jam but failed to touch the bag while covering first on a potential inning-ending double play.
“I’m extremely happy to be a member of this organization,” Chirinos said through an interpreter. “I’m fortunate to have this offensive support. It gives you the confidence to attack hitters.”
Giolito had a far worse outing in his second start for Los Angeles, which acquired him from the Chicago White Sox in one of several trades intended to boost the playoff hopes of the American League’s Angels. He matched his career high by giving up nine earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Acuña’s 420-foot shot was his 25th homer of a historic season that has stamped him as the National League’s MVP favorite. He also reached on a single, a double and a walk, coming around to score each time.
The Braves hit consecutive homers for the second night in a row, with Riley’s two-run shot, his 25th of the year, followed by Olson’s 37th.
Hunter Renfroe and Eduardo Escobar had two RBIs apiece for the Angels.
Atlanta, seeking its sixth straight division title, entered the day with an 11-game lead over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. The Braves now head to Chicago for a weekend series against the NL Central’s Cubs and a reunion with former longtime Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Swanson, a native of the Atlanta area, signed with the Cubs as a free agent in December. He made his MLB debut with the Braves late in the 2016 season, settled into a starting role and helped lead the team to the 2021 World Series championship. He was an All-Star for the first time in his final Atlanta season and made the NL team again this year.
“He’s very special to this organization,” Snitker said. “He’s a big reason we’ve had all this success. It will be a good to see him. I just hope he doesn’t play the former team card.”
Acuña’s big day gave him an edge in the three-game matchup between the overwhelming MVP favorites in each league. For the series, the Braves slugger went 3-for-9 with four walks, a homer, three RBIs and four runs. Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who didn’t pitch in the series, went 5-for-10 with a walk but didn’t drive in a run and scored only once.
“It seemed like Ohtani was leading off the inning a lot in this series, which helped,” Snitker said. “He’s such a force.”
Jordyn Adams had a tough day for the Angels in his MLB debut.
A first-round pick in 2018, Adams got the start in center field but struggled defensively. He twice made high throws in futile attempts to throw out runners — allowing Acuña to take an extra base each time — and misplayed a liner by Michael Harris II that was generously ruled a double. At the plate, Adams went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Braves right-hander pitcher Daysbel Hernández was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain, joining three other Atlanta relievers sidelined with various ailments. Hernández, coming back from Tommy John surgery, made his MLB debut on July 23 and allowed three runs in four appearances covering 3 2/3 innings.
Meanwhile, left-hander Brad Hand joined the Atlanta roster one day after being acquired from the Colorado Rockies in a deadline deal.
The Braves are off Thursday, and in Friday’s opener at Chicago, left-hander Max Fried (2-1) is set to return the Atlanta rotation. A first-time All-Star last season, he hasn’t pitched in the majors since May 5, when a strained left forearm sent him to the injured list.