The Atlanta Braves defeated the San Diego Padres 7-6 on Wednesday night in a game that showcased the team's depth at the plate and in the bullpen.
The Braves loaded the bases in the first inning but managed only a sacrifice fly from Michael Harris II for a 1-0 lead. Atlanta had runners on base in each of the next three innings but failed to capitalize, with groundouts ending scoring opportunities in the third and fourth.
The game remained tied 1-1 through six innings after Jackson Merrill hit a solo home run off Didier Fuentes in the seventh. That's when Atlanta's bench came alive.
Ozzie Albies, who was 0-for-3 at the time, delivered a clutch single down the right field line to score Brewer Hicklen and put the Braves ahead 4-1. Matt Olson followed with a pop-up single that allowed Drake Baldwin to score. Dom Smith, pinch-hitting for Eli White, added a bouncing single down the right field line to bring in another run, extending Atlanta's lead to 7-1 heading into the ninth.
"I'm happy to see it," manager Walt Weiss said of Smith's hit. "He's been one of our guys. He's won games for us and been one of the core all year. It's good to see Dom get one."
But the ninth inning brought drama. Victor Mederos gave up three runs before All-Star closer Raisel Iglesias entered. Iglesias allowed a two-run home run to Luis Rengifo, cutting the deficit to 7-6, but managed to escape without further damage.
"That was a wild one," Weiss said of the game.
The victory came after the Braves dropped an 8-3 decision on Tuesday. The series remained tied at one win apiece.
