Acuña leaves early with left knee soreness, Sale improves to 8-1 as Braves top Pirates 8-1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. left the Atlanta Braves’ 8-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning Sunday because of left knee soreness, and Chris Sale improved to 8 -1 while allowing four hits in seven innings.

Acuña, the reigning NL MVP, led off with a double to right center off Martín Pérez. With Marcell Ozuna at the plate, Acuña led toward third on a stolen base attempt and his left knee gave out. Acuña remained on the ground for several minutes while he was treated, pointing at his left leg before walking off under his own power.

Jarred Kelenic went 3-for-4 in place of Acuña, a 26-year-old outfielder hitting .250 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 49 games.

Sale struck out eight and allowed one run in another impressive outing for the 35-year-old southpaw, who returned to the form that earned him seven straight All-Star selections from 2012 to 2018 before a string of injuries.

Matt Olson had three RBIs with a homer and a double to save the final game of the three-game series.

Pérez allowed one run, four hits and two walks in three innings before injuring his left groin. The 33-year-old southpaw was grounded after Kelenic beat him to first for a one-out single in the third. He then allowed an RBI double from Ozzie Albies that tied the score 1-1.

Yasmani Grandal gave Pittsburgh the lead with an RBI single in the second half.

Travis d’Arnaud doubled Carmen Mlodzinski (0-2) in the fourth and scored on Orlando Arcia’s sacrifice fly. Olson extended the lead to 4-1 an inning later with a two-run double.

In the top of the eighth, Olson threw a fastball from Aroldis Chapman 420 feet into the Allegheny River, past the Clemente Wall, to right. Duvall hit a 428-foot home run into the left field bleachers past Chapman two batters later, giving the Braves a five-run cushion.

TRAINERS ROOM

Pirates: C Joey Bart was removed after the first inning and replaced by Grandal because of a left thumb injury.

FOLLOWING

Braves: RHP Charlie Morton (3-1, 3.35) takes the mound Monday as Atlanta returns home to begin a four-game series against Washington and LHP Mitchell Parker (3-2, 3.32)

Pirates: RHP Jared Jones (3-4, 3.05) starts Tuesday, the first of a two-game series at Detroit. LHP Tarik Skubal (6-1, 2.25) starts for the Tigers.

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