Mauricio Dubon of Atlanta Braves in action | Credit: IMAGO/Newscom World
Mauricio Dubon, Atlanta Braves take down Pittsburgh Pirates in series opener
Mauricio Dubon homered for the third straight game and helped the Atlanta Braves defeat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Friday in the opener of their three-game series.
Dubon was 2-for-4 with his sixth home run of the year, a double, two runs and three RBIs.
It is the first time in his career that he has gone deep in three consecutive games. He is 5-for-11 over the last three games with seven RBIs.
The winning pitcher was ex-Pirate Martin Perez (4-3). The veteran pitched five innings and allowed three runs on three hits and two walks, striking out five.
The Atlanta bullpen covered the final four innings without allowing a run. Didier Fuentes, Dylan Lee and Robert Suarez each pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
Closer Raisel Iglesias worked around a walk and a single to start the ninth and earned his 12th save.
The losing pitcher was Mitch Keller (5-3), who threw 4 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out four.
It was his first road loss of the season. Keller has allowed a combined 13 runs in his last two starts with his ERA soaring to 4.81.
The Braves scored a run in the second inning when Austin Riley walked and scored on a two-out single from Ronald Acuna Jr.
But the Pirates responded with a three-run outburst in the third inning. Spencer Horwitz walked, took third on Jared Triolo's line-drive double to center field and scored on Henry Davis' sacrifice fly.
Nick Gonzales followed with an RBI single and former Brave Marcell Ozuna lined an opposite-field single to right to produce another run.
Atlanta tied the game 3-3 in the bottom half when Ozzie Albies walked and scored on Dubon's two-run homer to left. The blast allowed the Braves to extend their home run streak to eight consecutive games.
The Braves regained the lead with a three-run rally in the fifth. Dubon doubled in a run, Dominic Smith had a sacrifice fly and Austin Riley banged an RBI double off the brick wall in right field.
--Field Level Media