Jul 24, 20236 min read

Riley Nails Home Run for Fourth Straight Game in Braves' Win Over Brewers

Updated: Jul 27, 2023

The Atlanta Braves have established themselves as the best team in the MLB right now.

It's very safe to say that they have moved past the frustration that plagued them in the middle of a four-game losing streak. They took care of business with the Milwaukee Brewers with a pair of two-run home runs, one from Orlando Arcia and the other from Austin Riley.

It was Riley's fourth straight game with a homer, where he has five in that span. He became the first Braves player with at least five homers and 13 RBI in a four-game stretch since Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews in September 1959, when they played in Milwaukee.

Arcia had the go-ahead home run for the Braves in the 2nd inning, the first hit he recorded in Milwaukee since the Brewers traded him to Atlanta one week into the 2021 season.

Riley followed it up one inning later with his opposite-field shot to give him at least one homer in the last four games. He is one shy from the franchise record, shared by nine different players, including Hank Aaron, Chipper Jones, Rogers Hornsby, and current Brave Ronald Acuña Jr.

With how the Braves have been hitting home runs this season, they are on pace to hit 310 homers, which would break the record set by the 2019 Minnesota Twins (307). Arcia hit his 10th home run in this game, while Riley hit his 21st.

Riley is also one of four players on the Braves to have at least 20 homers, joining Ozzie Albies (22), Acuña (23), and Matt Olson (32), who leads the National League in home runs. No other team has four players with at least 20 home runs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are the only other team with at least three players with at least 20.

The one thing that Riley was looking to improve at is consistency, but now he is at a .270 batting average with a .818 OPS, and is on pace for a third straight season with at least 30 home runs.

Riley and Arcia paved the way for Michael Soroka to get the victory, after he gave up early doubles to Christian Yelich and William Contreras that allowed the Brewers to get on the board first. Between those and Willy Adames' two-run homer in the 6th inning, he was outstanding for Atlanta.

Though their closer, Raisel Iglesias, was not available after he pitched on Tuesday, warmed up during their Wednesday game, and then pitched Thursday, they relied on Kirby Yates, a former All-Star closer, for the 9th inning. He issued a pair of two-out walks before ending the game by surprising Blake Perkins with a slider after alternating between fastballs and splitters during an 11-pitch sequence.

While the Brewers' starting pitcher, Freddy Peralta, allowed just one hit in six shutout innings in his last start back on July 15th against the Cincinnati Reds, he couldn't replicate that performance against the high-flying Braves, getting charged with six runs and six hits in five innings.

Surprisingly, it has been the Brewers' relief pitchers that have been lighting it up. Unfortunately, they could not rally Milwaukee to victory despite throwing 24 2/3 straight shutout innings. Bryse Wilson struck out five batters through three innings and J.C. Mejía had one strikeout in the 9th inning.

Injuries

Braves: Left-handed pitcher Max Fried allowed six hits and three runs through 3 1/3 innings during a rehab appearance for the Gwinnett Stripers, the Braves' Triple-A affiliate. He last pitched for the Braves on May 5th, having dealt with a forearm injury. He threw 65 pitches.
Brewers: Third baseman Brian Anderson took grounders before the game. Manager Craig Counsell said that Anderson, who has been dealing with a lower back injury, is not expected to get activated during the team's six-day homestand.

A First at First

As the Brewers are continuing to play without Rowdy Tellez, who is continuing to heal from a right forearm injury, catcher Victor Caratini had his first ever start at first baseman this season. Caratini has made 62 career appearances at first base, 25 of which are starts.

Scoring

MIL, Bottom 1st: William Contreras doubled to center, Christian Yelich scored. 1-0 MIL
MIL, Bottom 1st: Jesse Winker singled to center, William Contreras scored, Winker out stretching at second. 2-0 MIL
ATL, Top 2nd: Marcell Ozuna hit sacrifice fly to right, Matt Olson scored. 2-1 MIL
ATL, Top 2nd: Orlando Arcia homered to left center (402 feet), Sean Murphy scored. 3-2 ATL
ATL, Top 3rd: Austin Riley homered to right (378 feet), Ozzie Albies scored. 5-2 ATL
ATL, Top 5th: Marcell Ozuna grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Austin Riley scored, Sean Murphy out at second, Matt Olson to third. 6-2 ATL
MIL, Bottom 6th: Willy Adames homered to center (390 feet), William Contreras scored. 6-4 ATL

Batting

ATLANTA BRAVES

Ronald Acuña Jr.: 5 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .328 batting average, .406 on-base percentage, .579 slugging percentage
Ozzie Albies: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .259 batting average, .319 on-base percentage, .501 slugging percentage
Austin Riley: 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 2 hits, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .270 batting average, .332 on-base percentage, .486 slugging percentage
Matt Olson: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .258 batting average, .364 on-base percentage, .582 slugging percentage
Sean Murphy: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .290 batting average, .386 on-base percentage, .563 slugging percentage
Marcell Ozuna: 3 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .234 batting average, .309 on-base percentage, .451 slugging percentage
Eddie Rosario: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts, .247 batting average, .298 on-base percentage, .470 slugging percentage
Orlando Arcia: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .291 batting average, .345 on-base percentage, .448 slugging percentage
Michael Harris II: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .268 batting average, .316 on-base percentage, .441 slugging percentage

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Christian Yelich: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .287 batting average, .374 on-base percentage, .480 slugging percentage
William Contreras: 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .277 batting average, .354 on-base percentage, .450 slugging percentage
Willy Adames: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, .211 batting average, .292 on-base percentage, .410 slugging percentage
Jesse Winker: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .198 batting average, .318 on-base percentage, .247 slugging percentage
Victor Caratini: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, .240 batting average, .336 on-base percentage, .364 slugging percentage
Andruw Monasterio: 3 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, .291 batting average, .378 on-base percentage, .392 slugging percentage
Brice Turang: 3 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .203 batting average, .272 on-base percentage, .302 slugging percentage
Blake Perkins: 2 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, .210 batting average, .307 on-base percentage, .310 slugging percentage
Joey Wiemer: 1 at-bat, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, .207 batting average, .292 on-base percentage, .386 slugging percentage
1. Raimel Tapia: 1 at-bat, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .230 batting average, .308 on-base percentage, .338 slugging percentage

Pitching