Matt Waldron strikes out 10 as Padres silence Braves’ bats in 3-1 win

Jurickson Profar was 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored, and Jake Cronenworth was 3 for 5 with an RBI for the Padres, who had 13 hits – all singles.

Jeremiah Estrada recorded his first save of the season with three outs in the ninth after the Padres used closer Robert Suarez in the eighth against the heart of the Braves’ order. Padres manager Mike Shildt said he told his closer before the game that he might be used early.

“We have to congratulate Suarez,” Shildt said. “What a great teammate. Not everyone would say, yeah, I’ll take the eighth when you know you’re closest.

Max Fried (3-2), coming off a six-inning no-hit performance against the Mets, allowed nine hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out two in 88 pitches.

The Braves struck out a season-high 18 times.

The Braves threatened in the eighth after a Chadwick Tromp double put runners on second and third with two outs. Suarez struck out Michael Harris II to end the threat.

“For me, it’s just a mentality to go in and throw whatever inning I’m told, and today was the eighth,” Suarez said through an interpreter .

Matt Olson went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Braves.

The Padres took the lead for good with a three-run third inning after a flurry of singles. Luis Arraez led off with a single to left and scored two batters later on a Profar single. Cronenworth followed with an RBI single, and Manny Machado knocked in the third run of the game when the Braves failed to convert a grounding double play, thanks to a bad throw from Ozzie Albies. Machado, who went 0 for 4 and is hitting .217, was demoted to fifth in the order.

The Braves pushed a run in early in the first inning on an unusual play. With Ronald Acuña Jr. at third and Albies second, Olson lifted a ball to short left field. Acuña scored easily, but Albies hesitated before taking third and was sent off by Profar.

TRAINERS ROOM

Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove (right elbow inflammation) threw a bullpen Wednesday and is on track to come off the IL and start Sunday, according to Shildt. He is 3-3 with a 6.37 ERA in eight starts this season.

Braves: C Travis d’Arnaud left the game in the sixth inning due to dizziness and was diagnosed with a head contusion, not a concussion. He received a foul ball from Arraez on the front of his facemask in the fifth inning. Braves manager Brian Snitker said he would not start Saturday and would be evaluated before the game… 3B Austin Riley missed his fourth straight game with left-sided inflammation. Snitker said he will be re-evaluated Saturday. … Reliever Pierce Johnson was eligible to go off the IL Friday, but the Braves gave him an extra day to have more flexibility in the bullpen Saturday and Sunday.

FOLLOWING

Braves RHP Bryce Elder (1-1, 4.79) will face Padres RHP Yu Darvish (3-1, 2.43) in the second game of the four-game series. Darvish hasn’t allowed a run in his last three starts in 17 innings, and the Padres are 5-0 in their last five starts.

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