WEST SACRAMENTO: Ronald Acuña Jr. instantly erased issues about his again and enhanced pleasure about subsequent week’s Dwelling Run Derby with a two-homer sport he loved for the Braves in opposition to the Athletics in Wednesday’s 9-2 win at Sutter Well being Park.
Acuña’s monstrous leadoff homer sparked a four-run first inning and created extra confidence that he was now not bothered by the decrease again discomfort that prevented him from taking part in in Tuesday’s collection opener.
His opposite-field two-out homer within the fourth gave the Braves purpose to consider he has escaped the stoop he battled the previous couple weeks.
Getting into the day, Atlanta had scored one run or fewer seven instances whereas shedding 10 of its previous 12 video games, together with every of the previous 5. Acuña hit .171 with no extra-base hits and a .481 OPS throughout this stretch that went again to June 25.
Acuña started the sport by turning on a Mitch Spence curveball and sending it deep over the left-field wall. Per Statcast, the ball had a 110 mph exit velocity, making it the fourth hardest of the 11 homers he has hit this 12 months. This was additionally the thirty seventh leadoff homer of his profession.
Acuña capped his 14th multihomer sport and first since Sept. 19, 2023, by reaching a pair inches off the plate to attach with a Spence curveball that he despatched into the correct discipline bullpen. The pitch was 1.19 toes from the middle of the plate, tied for the farthest-outside pitch Acuña has homered on in his profession. The earlier got here on July 4, 2021.
This was the most recent instance of Acuña’s means to create huge moments when all eyes are on him. He homered on the primary pitch he had seen in 362 days when he returned from knee surgical procedure with a Might 23 homer in opposition to the Padres’ Nick Pivetta.
So, perhaps it shouldn’t have been shocking to see Acuña hit a leadoff homer simply 24 hours after tweaking his again whereas lifting weights.
Seeing Austin Riley homer for the second time since June 20 and Marcell Ozuna for the primary time since June 13 was encouraging for the Braves.
However understanding Acuña is wholesome was the most important aid for Braves followers and people trying ahead to seeing him compete in Monday’s T-Cellular Dwelling Run Derby and function one of many Nationwide League’s beginning outfielders when the All-Star Recreation is performed on Tuesday in his dwelling ballpark.
