PHOENIX – Adam Duvall lost a home run early to a baserunning miscue, but the Atlanta Braves rebounded with homers by Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-2 on Wednesday night.
Ian Anderson allowed two hits in seven innings as Atlanta (80-70) won for the fifth straight game and maintained its three-game lead over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies (78-74) in the National League East. The Braves are trying to secure their fourth straight title in the division.
The Braves got to Merrill Kelly for three runs in the first – and that could have been four, except Duvall passed Riley between first base and second after his deep drive to left-center field tipped the glove of Jake McCarthy and went over the wall.
Kelly (7-11) walked leadoff man Jorge Soler, and Freeman followed with a double. Albies hit a sacrifice fly to left and Riley beat out an infield hit with Freeman advancing to third.
Duvall then hit what appeared to be his 38th homer of the season. But Riley, thinking McCarthy had the ball in his glove, retreated to first base as Duvall passed him between first and second. Duvall was ruled out at second on what’s known as a “runner’s fielder’s choice.” Freeman and Riley scored on the play to give Duvall 109 RBIs this season, which leads the N L.