SAN DIEGO (AP) — Adam Duvall had the big hit for the Atlanta Braves and then credited starter Kyle Wright for setting the tone that helped the defending World Series champions bounce back from an ugly loss.
Duvall hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning and Ozzie Albies homered for the second straight game for Braves, who beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Friday night.
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth to earn his first save with the Braves. He signed as a free agent after piling up 350 saves in 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Even though he didn’t get the decision, Wright was impressive for five innings, including striking out a career-high nine and walking none while allowing two runs and five hits. Darren O’Day (1-0) got the win.
“It’s nice. I think it started with Wright,” Duvall said about the win, which followed a 12-1 loss in Thursday night’s series opener. “He just was getting after them. He was throwing everything, it looked like, with everything he had. His curveball, he wasn’t holding back. Seeing that, it sends vibes through the team and through the lineup.
“Glad we were able to get that one.”
Wright followed up his strong first start, a 2-1 win against Cincinnati.
“I felt good,” the right-hander said. “I would have felt better if I hadn’t given up those two runs. I felt like my stuff was pretty good. All in all, I felt I made some pitches when I had to.”
Wright gave up two runs in the fifth when Kim Ha-seong hit an RBI single and Manny Machado, who tied his career high with five hits Thursday night, had an RBI double.
“I love how especially in that fifth inning he kind of kept hanging in there and kept making pitches and went through the meat of their order,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He got out of that tinning, gave himself, really, a chance to get the decision.”
The Braves took advantage of a Padres bullpen meltdown to score three runs in the eighth. Pierce Johnson (0-1) faced six batters and allowed four hits, including three straight with two outs. The big blow was Duvall’s two-run double that gave the Braves a 4-2 lead. After Guillermo Heredia reached on an infield single, Dinelson Lamet came on and had two wild pitches, including one that scored Duvall.
“I had a good feeling on deck, for some reason,” Duvall said. “I just felt that if I got up I was most likely going to have a chance to drive some runners in. for whatever reason, I had a good feeling about that at-bat.”
Albies homered with two outs in the third off rookie left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who was making his big league debut. It was his third. Albies also homered in the ninth inning of Thursday night’s series opener after the Padres had taken a 12-0 lead.
Gore had a solid performance in his long-awaited big league debut, allowing two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts and two walks. He also made two nice defensive plays on comebackers.
Gore was the third pick overall in the 2017 draft and was one of baseball’s highest-rated prospects entering 2021 before being slowed by command problems and a blister issue. He had a good spring and was brought up to take the rotation spot of left-hander Blake Snell, who went on the injured list with a left adductor strain.
Gore quickly got his first strikeout when he fanned Albies on a 96 mph fastball opening the game. He fell behind 2-0 on Albies’ homer and Marcell Ozuna’s RBI single in the fourth.
After the Padres tied it at 2 in the fifth, Gore struck out Albies opening the sixth and walked Matt Olson before getting the hook from manager Bob Melvin. Gore got a nice ovation as he walked to the dugout and Luis Garcia came on to replace him.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RF Wil Myers wasn’t in the lineup due to a swollen right thumb. He has been fighting the injury since spring training. With Myers out, Abrams made his first start in the outfield. … San Diego reinstated RHP Luis Garcia from the 10-day IL and optioned RHP Kyle Tyler to Triple-A El Paso.
UP NEXT
The four-game series continues Saturday afternoon, when Braves RHP Ian Anderson (0-1, 16.88) opposes Padres RHP Nick Martinez (0-0, 1.80).
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