The Atlanta Braves routed the Detroit Tigers 10–1 on Friday at Comerica Park, riding Bryce Elder’s seven efficient innings and late homers from Ronald Acuña Jr., Ha-Seong Kim, and Drake Baldwin to a sixth straight win.
Turning Point: Braves Score Six Before Detroit Blinked
Atlanta scored three before an out in the first and three more in the second to chase former Brave Charlie Morton after 1⅓, per Reuters. Ronald Acuña Jr. pushed it to 6–0 with a two-run shot to right-center.
Morton walked Drake Baldwin with the bases loaded, gave up Ozzie Albies’ two-run single, then a Matt Olson RBI double before the Acuña homer. By the time Detroit turned to the bullpen, win probability had swung decisively and Atlanta could ride Elder’s pace and clean defense.
Top Performers: Elder Steady, Bats Loud
Elder posted 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K, controlling counts and limiting hard contact according to the ESPN box score. The lone blemish was Spencer Torkelson’s solo homer — his 30th — in the fourth.
Ozzie Albies logged three hits and two RBI in the first two frames. Jurickson Profar reached twice and scored twice. In the late innings, Ha-Seong Kim and rookie Drake Baldwin added two-run homers to cap a three-RBI night for the catcher. Team totals: 11 hits, 22 total bases.
By the Numbers:
- Attendance: 33,554 • Game Time: 2:21.
- Home runs: Acuña Jr., Kim, Baldwin; Torkelson (30). Distances listed on ESPN.
Pitching Notes: Morton Chased Early
Morton’s final per MLB box score: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. From there, Chris Paddack soaked up five innings before Paul Sewald worked the ninth; Detroit even turned to Zach McKinstry for the final out, a position player cameo emblematic of a runaway game.
On the Atlanta side, Elder’s first-pitch strikes and pitch-to-contact approach kept innings short and stress-free. He faced 28 batters and didn’t issue a walk; Atlanta’s bullpen (Tyler Kinley, Hunter Stratton) handled the final six outs without a hit. The staff combined for 8 K, 0 BB on 110 total pitches after Elder exited.
What It Means for Atlanta
Six straight wins and a controlled road rout offer a late-season data point: the current mix can string together quality starts and timely power even against a first-place club. In the pen, roles have shifted since the bullpen depth moves, and the pitching prospects highlighted this month could press for spring innings if the strikes and swing-and-miss continue.
