HOUSTON — The Atlanta Braves, led by Reynaldo López’s masterful pitching, clinched their third consecutive victory by defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 on Tuesday night. López delivered a performance of six scoreless innings, striking out seven batters while only permitting four hits and a single walk.
In his remarkable start to the season, López has maintained a stellar ERA of 0.50, allowing just one run across 18 innings. “Maintaining focus and accurately placing my pitches has been crucial,” López shared through an interpreter, reflecting his strategy for success.
Orlando Arcia was a standout at the plate, hitting a solo home run in the second inning and contributing a sacrifice fly in the seventh, further strengthening the Braves’ lead. The Braves widened their margin in the ninth with Luis Guillorme and backup catcher Chadwick Tromp each driving in two runs with doubles, pushing the score to 6-0.
Atlanta’s manager, Brian Snitker, praised Tromp’s impact, stating, “Chadwick has been remarkably effective in these pressure situations, consistently driving in crucial runs.”
The Astros attempted a late-game rally with Kyle Tucker hitting a home run and Mauricio Dubón adding an RBI single in the ninth inning, reducing the deficit to four runs. However, Raisel Iglesias secured his fourth save of the season, quelling the Astros’ comeback by inducing a game-ending groundout from Victor Caratini.
On the opposing mound, Houston’s Hunter Brown showed improvement from his last outing, giving up two runs over six innings. After a challenging start last Thursday, Brown’s enhanced command and effective mix of pitches were noted by Astros manager Joe Espada as significant progress.
Despite the Astros’ efforts to claw back into the game, the Braves’ early lead and strategic plays carved the path to their victory. “Our team battled hard, but Atlanta’s pitching was on point tonight,” Espada acknowledged, commending the Braves’ performance as they continued their winning streak.