In Wednesday's Grapefruit League clash, the Braves edged out the Pirates with a 3-1 victory, capitalizing on a slightly off-key performance from Paul Skenes.
Let's dive into the standout moments.
Bryce Elder delivered a classic performance, showcasing his ability to control the game. Over two innings, Elder struck out three, issued no walks, and kept the ball low, making it tough for the Pirates to generate much offense. They managed to score a run through a couple of well-placed singles and a steal, but Elder kept them largely in check.
Austin Riley provided the fireworks with his first Spring Training home run, a towering 419-foot blast to center field. Earlier in the at-bat, he narrowly missed another homer, pulling a high fastball just foul. This time, he made no mistake, sending it deep and fair.
Riley’s homer capped the scoring for the Braves, following a quirky triple by Drake Baldwin and a soft liner from Jurickson Profar that brought Baldwin home. Riley's shot then drove in Profar, sealing the deal.
The Braves had a bit of fun with Paul Skenes, who was making his Spring Training 2026 debut. They drew four walks from him in 2 1/3 innings and successfully challenged four of his called strikes. Despite these opportunities, they only managed three runs, as Skenes struck out Riley with two on in the first, and both Mauricio Dubon and Ronald Acuña Jr. missed key hits in the second inning.
The Braves' bullpen saw action from seven different pitchers, maintaining control throughout. Offensively, the Braves had a 9/6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while their pitchers dominated the Pirates with a 13/4 ratio. The Pirates threatened in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but a routine flyout sealed the Braves' win.
Marcell Ozuna, facing his former team, went 0-for-2 with a walk against Dylan Dodd.
Next up, the Braves head to Tampa for a matchup against the Yankees tomorrow afternoon.