Braves make MLB history with home run fest in 20-1 win over Pirates
No MLB team has ever done what the Braves did on Saturday night at Truist Park
By
Dayn Perry
•
1 min read
The Atlanta Braves obliterated the Pittsburgh Pirates by a score of 20-1 (box score) at home on Friday night, which marked the eighth time in franchise history that the Braves have scored 20 or more runs in a game. Austin Riley hit two of the Braves' seven home runs on the night, four different Atlanta hitters tallied three hits, and Ronald Acuña and Ehire Adrianza each had grand slams. Every position player for the Braves recorded at least one hit.
Here's a look at those grand slams. First up, Mr. Acuña:
That's Acuña's 14th home run on the season, which ties him with Shohei Ohtani of the Angels for the MLB lead, and after his two-hit night he's now got a slash line of .284/.388/.628. As recently examined in this space, he's looking like he's taking the next step as a great hitter.
Now for Mr. Adrianza's four-run homer:
That's Adrianza's third home run of the season. As you may have noticed, it came off a position player -- infielder Wilmer Difo -- so discount accordingly. In all, eight of Atlanta's 20 runs came off Difo, so, again, discount accordingly. Difo now has a career ERA of 72.00. Speaking of which:
Wilmer Difo (1 IP, 8 runs, 40 pitches!) just became the first true position player to give up 8+ runs on the mound in almost 80 years!
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) May 22, 2021
Last to do it: Hank Lieber, for the NY Giants vs. the Phillies on Sept. 25, 1952. Hank gave up 9 that day - on 9 hits, 5 walks and an HBP!
Now for the bit of history we mentioned:
The @Braves are the first team in MLB history to have 7+ home runs and 2+ grand slams in a single game.
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) May 22, 2021
Yes, one of those home runs/one of those grand slams came off a non-pitcher, but the more prevailing reality is that the Braves on Friday night did something that no other team has done in the century-and-a-half sprawl of MLB history.
Coming in, the Braves had dropped seven of their last 10. This sorely needed win pushes them to 21-24 on the season. Despite the disappointing start, the Braves at this writing are just three games out of first place in the NL East.
