Cleveland Guardians @ Atlanta Braves
Olson hits long go-ahead homer off Cecconi in 6-run 6th inning as Braves overwhelm Guardians 11-5
ATLANTA -- — Matt Olson gave Atlanta the lead with a long two-run homer off Slade Cecconi in a six-run sixth inning and the Braves beat the Cleveland Guardians 11-5 on Friday night in a matchup of first-place teams.
The Guardians led 2-1 before Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a tying homer off Cecconi in the sixth. Following a single by Drake Baldwin, Olson pulled the 441-foot homer off the top of the Chop House restaurant roof in right field for a 4-2 lead.
The blast was Olson's fourth of the season. With Cleveland right-hander Matt Festa on the mound, Dominic Smith had a run-scoring single before Michael Harris II capped the six-run inning with another two-run homer over the Braves' bullpen in right-center.
The Braves had seven hits, including three homers, in the big inning and finished with 15 hits.
Cecconi (0-2) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Tyler Kinley (2-0) pitched a perfect sixth for Atlanta.
Atlanta right-hander Bryce Elder had not allowed an earned run this season before Kyle Manzardo hit a one-out homer to center field in the fourth inning. The shot carried 454 feet and tied the game at 1.
A passed ball by Guardians catcher Bo Naylor in the third set up a broken-bat single by Acuña that drove in Smith.
Smith drove in two runs with three hits.
Cleveland scored three runs off right-hander José Suarez in the eighth.
The Guardians, leading the AL Central, and the Braves, leading the NL East, are the only teams in the majors without a series loss.
The Braves debuted their City Connect powder blue uniform that was inspired by the team's look in the 1980s. Fans were given a Dale Murphy No. 3 jersey.
Cleveland’s Parker Messick (1-0, 0.82) is scheduled to face Atlanta’s Martín Pérez (0-0, 3.86) in a matchup of left-handers on Saturday night.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
ATL leads 1-0
Game Information
- Umpires:
- Home Plate Umpire - Dexter Kelley
- First Base Umpire - Chris Conroy
- Second Base Umpire - John Tumpane
- Third Base Umpire - Brennan Miller
2026 American League Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | 8 | 6 | .571 | - | L1 |
| Minnesota | 7 | 7 | .500 | 1 | L1 |
| Kansas City | 6 | 8 | .429 | 2 | W1 |
| Detroit | 5 | 9 | .357 | 3 | W1 |
| Chicago | 5 | 9 | .357 | 3 | L1 |
2026 National League East Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | 9 | 5 | .643 | - | W3 |
| Miami | 8 | 6 | .571 | 1 | L1 |
| New York | 7 | 7 | .500 | 2 | L3 |
| Philadelphia | 6 | 7 | .462 | 2.5 | L3 |
| Washington | 5 | 8 | .385 | 3.5 | W1 |

