Chris Sale threw six strong innings, helping lead the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
Sale (11-3) allowed just three hits, to go along with nine strikeouts and two walks, helping Atlanta snap a two-game skid. Austin Riley finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while Adam Duvall went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Matt Chapman tallied two hits and an RBI for the Giants, who saw their two-game winning streak ended.
After a scoreless first inning, Atlanta led off the bottom of the second with consecutive singles from Riley and Travis d’Arnaud, putting runners at first and second with nobody out. Duvall then laced his seventh double of the season, driving in Riley for the game’s first run.
Leading 1-0, Sale struck out Curt Casali, Tyler Fitzgerald and Jorge Soler on 13 pitches in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the fifth, Marcell Ozuna slashed a two-out single, followed by Matt Olson’s base hit. Riley then scored both runners with a two-run double off the right field wall, giving the Braves a 3-0 advantage. The Braves thought they had their fourth run on a single from d’Arnaud, but the call was overturned as Riley was thrown out at home by right fielder Austin Slater.
Soler led off the top of the sixth with a double against Sale. After retiring Slater and Heliot Ramos, Sale allowed his first run on Chapman’s RBI double, which cut the Giants’ deficit to 3-1.
Former Brave Luke Jackson relieved Hicks (4-5) after five innings of three-run, eight-hit ball. Hicks struck out six and walked a pair. Jackson pitched a scoreless sixth.
A.J. Minter came on to replace Sale in the top of the seventh. Minter threw a perfect inning in his first appearance since May 29 following an IL stint.
Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias allowed a one-out single to Chapman in the ninth, but retired Luis Matos and struck out Brett Wisely for the final out, securing his 21st save.