Chris Sale threw seven masterful innings and Ozzie Albies returned from the injured list to get two hits and help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting Cleveland Guardians 6-2 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.
The Braves have won four in a row and 10 of their last 11. Atlanta and Cleveland are now tied with a major-league-best 18 wins.
Sale (3-1) gave up a game-opening homer to Steven Kwan, but he later retired the final 17 batters he faced. He allowed one run on two hits with one walk and six strikeouts. It was his third straight seven-inning start.
Atlanta’s Pierce Johnson pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Tyler Matzek allowed a run while getting one out in the ninth before A.J. Minter notched the final two outs.
Albies hadn’t played since his right big toe was broken when hit by a pitch on April 15. He returned to go 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
Cleveland starter Logan Allen (3-1) pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five.
The Guardians struck fast when Kwan led off the game with a homer to right field, his third long ball of the season. It was the third time in five starts that Sale has allowed a leadoff home run.
The Braves took a 3-1 in the fourth inning on a two-run double by Marcell Ozuna and an RBI double from Michael Harris II.
Atlanta added a run in the fifth when Albies doubled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Matt Olson’s single.
The Braves made it 5-1 in the sixth when Albies singled home Ronald Acuna Jr., who had walked and advanced on a balk.
Atlanta’s Orlando Arcia hit his second homer, a solo shot, in the eighth off reliever Pedro Avila.
Cleveland’s David Fry hit an RBI single in the ninth before Minter retired the final two batters.
