ATLANTA — Dominic Smith hit a two-run homer, Spencer Strider allowed three runs in five innings pitched, and the Atlanta Braves recovered after losing an early three-run lead Saturday to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 at Truist Park and clinch another series win.
Atlanta led 3-0 after three innings, but the Pirates pulled even in the top of the fifth on Brandon Lowe’s sacrifice fly off Strider (4-1). The Braves delivered a quick answer by scoring three runs off Braxton Ashcraft (5-3) in the bottom half.
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson reached on singles before their double steal set up a go-ahead sacrifice fly by Ozzie Albies. Smith then lined the two-run homer just inside the foul pole in left field at Truist Park.
“Really nice job against a tough starter,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said in his postgame news conference. “Ashcraft is really tough. I thought we put together some really good at-bats, put some heat on him early, and you know, Dom sneaks that ball inside the foul pole, that was a nice piece of hitting.”
Strider, whose ERA rose to 4.00, allowed five hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Just 49 of his 84 pitches went for strikes.
“It was a bit of a grind for him getting through five today, but he got through five and kept the game in check,” Weiss said. “He didn’t have his best stuff, but he maneuvered and minimized damage, and I thought he did a nice job really battling and staying in there and getting through five.”
Dylan Dodd relieved Strider and struck out the side in the sixth, shaking off a two-out walk, while Dylan Lee overcame a leadoff walk in the seventh with a lineout and a pair of swinging strikeouts. Tyler Kinley gave up back-to-back one-out singles but escaped the jam with a swinging strikeout and a flyout to center field.
Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 13th save this season, working around pinch-hitter Jake Mangum’s one-out single. Iglesias has converted 31 consecutive save opportunities since July 28, 2025, the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.
“Bullpen was awesome,” Weiss said.
The Braves, who improved the majors’ best record to 44-21, have won 18 of 21 series so far this year, including 10 of 11 at home. Atlanta has a 9 1/2 game over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East and a double-digit margin over the division’s other three teams.
Atlanta’s Mauricio Dubón had two hits and scored two runs while filling in for regular starting center fielder Michael Harris II, who was held out with back tightness after leaving Friday night’s 6-3 win in the ninth.
“We’ll give him a day and see how he’s feeling,” Weiss said. “… I think this is going to be very short term.”
Dubón, who started at shortstop the previous two games, had two hits for the third game in a row. However, his streak of games with a homer ended at three.
Acuña and Austin Riley each went 2-for-4 for the Braves, with Riley’s RBI double making it 2-0 in the first inning after Acuña scored on Albies’ first sac fly of the game. Dubón scored on a throwing error to make it 3-0 in the third.
Atlanta catcher Austin Wynns, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for cash on Thursday, was held without a hit in his first start for the Braves.
Pirates third baseman Tyler Callihan, making his first start of the season, had a run-scoring double, a walk and a stolen base.
Lowe left the game after fouling a ball off his right knee in the ninth.
Pittsburgh, which lost for the third time in four games and fell to 34-31, is tied for third in the NL Central and 6 1/2 games out of first place.
Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler (2-6, 4.89 ERA), a native of Lawrenceville in the Atlanta suburbs, is scheduled to start in Sunday’s series finale. The Braes will give the ball to right-hander Bryce Elder (5-3, 2.63).