ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Wacha matched his career high with 10 strikeouts, Juan Soto homered and the San Diego Padres overcame a ninth-inning scare to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Saturday night.
Wacha (2-0) allowed only two hits — a double and single by Matt Olson — over six innings with one walk. The right-hander, who pitched for St. Louis in his first seven seasons, had been 0-4 with a 5.23 ERA in eight games against the Braves.
Wacha’s previous game with 10 strikeouts was for the Cardinals at Colorado on June 9, 2015.
San Diego closer Josh Hader walked Sean Murphy and gave up a bloop single to Ozzie Albies opening the ninth. Hader struck out Kevin Pillar and Marcell Ozuna, then advaned the runners on a wild pitch.
Hader struck out Arcia for his third save, the 15th strikeout by Braves batters, finishing a five-hitter and giving the Padres two wins in the first three games in the four-game series. .
Soto put the Padres ahead with a 428-foot homer to right-center off Charlie Morton (1-1) in the third. Morton allowed three runs, two earned, six hits and three walks in five innings.
San Diego took a 3-0 lead in the fourth but wasted an opportunity for another run. Jake Cronenworth singled, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Travis d’Arnaud’s errant throw to second. Cronenworth scored on Rougned Odor’s grounder when d’Arnaud couldn’t handle Albies’ throw from second.
Ha-Seong Kim followed with a grounder to Matt Olson at first base. Olson’s throw to the plate skipped past d’Arnaud. Odor collided with d’Arnaud at the plate before Kim also crossed the plate. Following an appeal by the Braves, plate umpire Chad Fairchild ruled Odor didn’t initially touch the plate. After Kim scored, Ordor circled back to touch the plate, but because Kim already crossed the plate it was too late.
Wacha’s dominance made up the base-running blunder. He struck out the side in the third and didn’t allow a runner past second base.
Olson’s third hit, a run-scoring single off Luis García in the eighth, drove in Sam Hilliard from second base to cut San Diego’s lead to 3-1.
The first-pitch temperature was 44 degrees after steady rain most of the day.
SHUSTER OPTIONED
Braves rookie left-hander Jared Shuster was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after giving up four runs on four walks and six hits in Friday night’s 5-4 loss to the Padres.
The Braves promoted left-hander Danny Young from Gwinnett. Right-hander Seth Elledge was designated for assignment. Young allowed a ninth-inning double to Odor, who scored on a wild pitch by Kirby Yates.
CITY CONNECT UNIFORM DEBUT
On the 49th anniversary of Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run on April 8, 1974, the Braves debuted their City Connect uniform. The Braves will wear the uniform on their Saturday home games this season.
Aaron’s widow, Billye Aaron, attended the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Following the collision with Odor, d’Arnaud left the game in the sixth inning. There was no immediate update on d’Arnaud.
UP NEXT
Braves rookie left-hander Dylan Dodd (1-0, 1.80) will face Padres right-hander Seth Lugo (1-0, 1.29) in Sunday night’s final game of the four-game series.
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