BASEBALL: Red-hot Matt Olson, MLB-best Braves eye series win vs. M's

Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves continued their strong start to the season on Tuesday night, rallying past the Seattle Mariners for a 3-2 road win and extending their dominant stretch in interleague play.

Olson delivered the decisive blow in the ninth inning, leading off the frame with a solo home run off Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz. He drove a 2-1 slider 412 feet into left-center field to snap a tie and push the Braves ahead for good.

The Braves, who have yet to lose a series this season, will look to keep that streak alive in the finale of their three-game set on Wednesday.

Olson, a three-time All-Star, continues to anchor Atlanta’s offense. He reached his 13th home run of the season on Tuesday, the most in the National League, and now leads MLB with 28 extra-base hits. He also hit his 300th career home run earlier in the week.

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss praised Olson’s current form, noting the consistency and power he is showing across the field. Olson has been especially effective driving the ball to all parts of the ballpark, combining power with gap-to-gap contact hitting that has made him one of the league’s most dangerous hitters early in the season.

His performance is drawing comparisons to his standout 2023 campaign, when he set career highs with a .283 batting average, 54 home runs, and 139 RBIs, earning an NL Silver Slugger Award.

Meanwhile, the Braves are also beginning to get healthier at key positions. Closer Raisel Iglesias returned from the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation and earned his sixth save of the season. Robert Suarez, previously serving in closing situations, moved back into a setup role and picked up the win to improve to 3-0.

Outfielder Michael Harris II also made progress in his recovery from a left quadriceps issue, starting in left field as part of his gradual return. Manager Walt Weiss indicated Harris could soon resume playing center field, possibly during the upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

For Seattle, catcher Cal Raleigh returned to the lineup after missing three games with right-side discomfort. Serving as the designated hitter, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in a quiet offensive night for the Mariners.

Seattle’s offense struggled overall, managing just three hits in the game. Josh Naylor recorded two singles, while J.P. Crawford contributed a two-run home run. The rest of the lineup combined to strike out 16 times.

Muñoz took the loss after allowing the game-winning home run. It marked his third loss of the season and his third homer allowed, already surpassing the total he surrendered in a full previous campaign.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson expressed confidence that his closer will recover quickly, noting that struggles are part of a long season and emphasizing the team’s focus on adjustments moving forward.

Looking ahead to the series finale, the Braves are expected to adjust their rotation. Left-hander Martín Pérez (2-1, 2.22 ERA) is scheduled to start against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (1-2, 4.61 ERA).

Pérez is coming off a strong outing, throwing five scoreless innings in a win over Detroit last week, allowing just two hits. In his career against Seattle, he holds an 8-6 record with a 3.31 ERA across 31 appearances.

Woo, meanwhile, has had recent struggles with the long ball, giving up six home runs over his last two starts after not allowing any through his first five outings of the season. He allowed six runs in his most recent start against Kansas City but avoided a decision in a narrow loss. Wednesday will mark his first career appearance against Atlanta. -Field Level Media/Reuters