Atlanta (AP) The Los Angeles Angels defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Thursday night thanks to three hits, including a homer, from Zach Neto, a two-run bomb from Nolan Schanuel, and only three hits let up by Jos Soriano in seven scoreless innings.
Jurickson Profar hit a home run off left-hander Brock Burke in the ninth inning, saving the Braves from a shutout. Since coming back from an 80-game PED suspension, Profar had hit two home runs in a row.
Soriano (6-5) did not let a baserunner get to second base and recorded seven strikeouts. Three runs were scored by Neto.
In five innings, Bryce Elder (2-6) allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks. For a team that put right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday due to a fractured right elbow, Elder’s third straight loss is a concerning trend.
In the past, injuries have cost the rotation Reynaldo L. Pez (shoulder surgery), AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery), and Chris Sale (broken rib). In the second game of a series against Baltimore on Saturday, manager Brian Snitker hinted that he would employ a bullpen game.
Key moment
Elder threw up two more home runs after giving up 10 runs, nine earned, and three home runs in just two innings during Friday night’s 13-0 loss to Philadelphia. Neto doubled after Schanuel’s two-run blast in the second inning brought him in.
Key stats
With his first-inning single to right field, Matt Olson extended the majors’ longest active reaching-base streak to 33 games. With his first-inning single, Jo Adell’s hitting streak reached 14 games, which is the longest the Angels have had this season.
Up next
On Friday night, RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.66 ERA) takes on Blue Jays LHP Eric Lauer (4-1, 2.60) in the Angels’ series opener in Toronto.
In the home series opener against the Orioles, Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (3-6, 3.86) will take against Charlie Morton (4-7, 5.63), a former Atlanta right-hander.
