Pirates avoid Atlanta road sweep – Butler Eagle

Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez is greeted by his teammates in the dugout during Sunday’s 4-2 victory at Atlanta. Associated Press

Bryn Anderson

ATLANTA — Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez each hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Bryan Reynolds’ 25-game hitting streak ended with two strikeouts and two groundouts in his four at-bats. It was the longest streak in the majors this season and the Pirates’ longest streak since Kenny Lofton’s 26-game streak in 2003.

The Pirates’ four-run fifth began with a successful challenge that allowed Jack Suwinski to be hit by a pitch from Spencer Schwellenbach (1-4). With two outs, Cruz lined a home run that traveled 452 feet to the right field seats. Cruz’s 12th home run had an exit velocity of 117.3 mph.

Schwellenbach walked Edward Olivares before Tellez hit his fourth home run off the right-field foul pole.

Pittsburgh left-hander Bailey Falter (4-6) issued four walks in five innings but was charged with one run and two hits. Falter struck out the side in the second and had five strikeouts overall.

Falter snapped a four-game losing streak dating back to his last win, also against the Braves, on May 24 in Pittsburgh.

Marcell Ozuna walked to lead off the fourth and scored the Braves’ lone run against Falter on Austin Riley’s double play.

Aroldis Chapman made his third save despite giving up a run in the ninth. After Adam Duvall’s single and a Sean Murphy double, Suwinski made a diving catch of Orlando Arcia’s sinking liner for a sacrifice fly. Chapman ended the game on Zack Short’s groundout.

On Saturday, Chapman broke Billy Wagner’s record for most career strikeouts by a left-handed reliever.

Frenchman Zacharie Risacher, first choice of the Atlanta Hawks in Wednesday’s NBA draft, wore a Braves jersey with the number 10 when he made his ceremonial first throw. Risacher (pronounced Ree-zah-shay), who will wear No. 10 as a swing player with the Hawks, was close to the plate on his throw.

TRAINERS ROOM

Braves: RHP Ian Anderson was scheduled to start Sunday for Class A Augusta as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery. … OF Ramón Laureano (lower back) missed his fourth straight game.

FOLLOWING

Pirates: Right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller (9-4, 3.20 ERA) will start Tuesday night when the Pirates open a home series against right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson (5-3, 3.70 ERA) and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Braves: RHP Reynaldo López (6-2, 1.70 ERA) is scheduled to face RHP Hayden Birdsong (0-0, 5.79 ERA) Tuesday night in the opener of a home series against San Francisco.