Braves miss chance to win three in a row as Rangers strike early to end skid

ARLINGTON, Texas - With Major League Baseball's 2022 season approaching the end of its first month, the Atlanta Braves finally got over one hump by winning a series this past week.

Winning three games in a row - as well as getting back to .500 for the first time since starting 5-5 - will have to wait.

Corey Seager homered for his third straight game, Dane Dunning allowed one run over a career-high 7 2/3 innings and the Texas Rangers beat the Braves 3-1 on Saturday night.

Seager's solo homer gave Texas its first run in the first inning since opening day. The Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak, bouncing back from a 6-3 setback Friday night in the first of three games against the reigning World Series champions.

"He smoked that ball," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "We felt better. The other team's playing from behind right from the beginning."

Dunning (1-1) won for the first time since Aug. 2, allowing three hits. He struck out five of Atlanta's first seven batters and retired 14 straight before a one-out double in the eighth by Adam Duvall over the glove of left fielder Zach Reks, playing his first MLB game this season.

Dunning left with runners on first and third with two outs in the eighth. Dennis Santana retired star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., playing his second game this season since being activated Thursday from the injured list, on a full-count grounder to shortstop.

Joe Barlow pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.

Acuña singled home Atlanta's only run a day after the Braves got two home runs from catcher William Contreras, another homer from Austin Riley and inside-the park job by outfielder Travis Demeritte. Acuña hit a check-swing bloop to shallow right field to score Demeritte in the third.

Dunning's seven strikeouts equaled a season high in making the longest start by a Texas starter this year. He'd struggled in first innings during his young career, with a 7.25 ERA and the most homers (eight) allowed of any inning. This time he struck out the side looking in the first and had two swinging strikeouts among the first seven batters.

Dunning credited his change of mindset.

"Going in the first inning almost like I'm closing out the game," he said.

Said Woodward: "You could see the intensity in the first inning. It was like, 'I'm coming at you.' It just sets the tone in a lot of ways for our entire ballclub."

Bryce Elder (1-3), an Atlanta rookie right-hander who grew about 45 minutes north of Globe Life Field in Decatur, Texas, gave up all three runs on four hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings in his fourth MLB start. He struck out one batter.

Elder had a sizable contingent of rooters among family, friends and the Decatur High School baseball team.

The Braves failed to win a third straight game for the third consecutive time this season, leaving them at 10-12. They haven't been above .500 since being 2-1 on April 9, and they hadn't won a series until taking two of three from the Chicago Cubs earlier in the week in Atlanta.

They'll still get a chance for a second series win Sunday before heading to New York for four games against the Mets, their division rivals who are leading the National League East standings. Atlanta has won four straight NL East titles but is five games behind the Mets.

Seager pulled an 0-2 inside cut fastball down the right-field line 406 feet for a two-out solo homer. It was his fourth home run of the season, and the three-game homer streak matches a career-high streak.

The Rangers also received RBI hits by two newcomers to the roster.

Sam Huff, who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday when Jonah Heim was placed on the paternity list, singled home Reks in the second inning. Reks, who was recalled from Round Rock earlier Saturday, singled home Andy Ibanez in the fourth inning with his first MLB hit. Reks had 10 at-bats with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

The game took just 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete, the fastest Rangers game played in the two-plus seasons at Globe Life Field.

Before the game, Atlanta outfielder Alex Dickerson cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Braves' Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate after being designated for assignment on Thursday.

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