Bryce Elder pitched six scoreless innings and Mauricio Dubon drove in three runs to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 4-0 victory over the visiting Oakland Athletics on Monday in the opening game of their three-game series.

Elder (1-0) allowed five hits and one walk, struck out five, and picked off a runner. He has been strong over his last eight starts, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.49 ERA and seven quality starts.

Relievers Aaron Bummer, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias finished the game with scoreless appearances. Bummer pitched around Max Muncy’s double for a scoreless seventh, Suarez escaped trouble in the eighth, and Iglesias made his season debut in the ninth, aided by a double play.

Atlanta’s pitching staff has allowed only six runs through four games, including two shutouts. Oakland fell to 0-4 for the first time since 2021.

Dubon, acquired in an offseason trade from Houston, went 3-for-4 at the plate and raised his batting average to .400.

A’s starter Jacob Lopez (0-1) struggled, throwing 91 pitches but only 46 strikes. He lasted four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and five walks without recording a strikeout.

The Braves took an early lead in the first inning, scoring three runs on three walks. Matt Olson doubled in a run, and Dubon drove in two more with an opposite-field single over first baseman Nick Kurtz. Atlanta added an insurance run in the eighth when Mike Yastrzemski tripled and scored on Dubon’s single to left.

Atlanta had some missteps on the basepaths, including Ronald Acuna Jr. being picked off in the fourth and Ozzie Albies caught leaning in the seventh. The Braves also made good use of ABS challenge decisions, turning two called balls into strikeouts.

Oakland had a chance in the eighth with runners on first and second and one out, but Brent Rooker grounded into a double play to end the inning.

-Field Level Media/Reuters