The Atlanta Braves squared off in the first game of the series with the defending World Series Champion Texas Rangers last night at Truist Park. The Braves offense continued to roll and Chris Sale had another solid outing in the 8-3 win.

Chris Sale gave up a leadoff home run to Marcus Semien in the first inning before retiring the next three hitters. Ronald Acuna Jr. worked a walk in the first inning and would end up scoring on a Marcell Ozuna single to tie the game in the bottom of the first. The hit extended Marcell Ozuna’s hit streak to a Major-League best 17 games. It is also a career long hit-streak for the Big Bear.

Travis d’Arnaud connected for his first homer of the season in the bottom of the second inning to give the Braves a 2-1 lead. More to come from TDA.

Key moment in top of the 4th inning

Adolis Garcia‘s Nickname: In the top of the fourth inning, the Braves radio broadcast team informed us that Adolis Garcia’s nickname “El Bombi” is not because he’s a tank that hits a ton of bombs. It actually means “lightbulb” and it’s because his head looks like a lightbulb…

Chris Sale had a 1-2-3 fourth inning. He began the inning by striking out Adolis Garcia on three pitches. Lights out.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ozuna blasted a 105.7 mph bullet to the warning track in centerfield even though it looked like the ball came off the end of his bat. Ozuna is in the zone.

The score was still 2-1 as we entered the bottom of the fifth. Travis d’Arnaud led off the bottom of the 5th with a second solo blast to make it 3-1. The Rangers answered in the top of the sixth inning with two runs to tie it up at 3-3. Adolis Garcia flipped the light switch back on with a double to the left-center gap, scoring both Marcus Semien and Wyatt Langford. The double gave Semien his 19th and 20th RBIs on the season, just four behind Ozuna’s league leading 24 RBI.

Sale rebounded after the RBI-double from Garcia to get Jonah Heim to flyout to Acuna and then secured his seventh strikeout of the game to end the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna worked a couple walks and Michael Harris II joined them on the bases with a single. This left the bases loaded for Travis d’Arnaud. Travis entered the game with zero homers on the season. Surely, the Braves catcher couldn’t have a three-homer game.

Who had the over on 11.5 total bases for Travis d’Arnaud last night? d’Arnaud drove in six runs on three homers last night.

Michael Harris II would add a two-run homer in the eight inning to make it 8-3. That would be the final score.

Chris Sale has quality start vs. Rangers

Chris Sale had another nice outing for the Braves going 7.0 innings and allowing just three earned runs. Sale notched seven strikeouts and allowed just five hits and one walk. Chris Sale moved to 2-1 on the season with a 4.38 ERA.

Saturday’s Game: Braves vs. Rangers

The Braves moved to 13-5 while the Rangers fell to 11-10. Atlanta will send Charlie Morton (1-0, 5.29 ERA) to the mound against Nate Eovaldi (1-1, 2.92 ERA) at 7:20 ET at Truist Park. Tonight’s game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South and the MLB Network.