Gio Urshela, Jorge Soler power Braves past Dodgers

Gio Urshela and Jorge Soler each belted a two-run homer in the second inning to pace the host Atlanta Braves to a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

Atlanta’s Matt Olson ripped an RBI double in the first inning and Michael Harris II did the same in the eighth.

Marcell Ozuna contributed three hits to reach 1,500 for his career.

Soler and Whit Merrifield each added two hits for the Braves (80-67), who remained one game behind the New York Mets for the final wild card in the National League. The Mets (81-66) cruised to an 11-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies earlier on Friday.

Braves rookie Spencer Schwellenbach (6-7) picked up the win after allowing two runs on four hits in six innings. Pierce Johnson, Joe Jimenez and Raisel Iglesias each worked a scoreless inning to end the game.

Miguel Rojas launched a solo homer in the third inning and Tommy Edman added an RBI single in the fourth for the Dodgers (87-60), who have lost three of their last four games.

Atlanta ignited its offense early as Soler had a one-out single in the first inning, advanced to second on another single and scored on Olson’s double into the right field corner.

The Braves benefited from a power display in the second to extend their lead to 5-0.

Orlando Arcia walked to lead off the inning before Urshela deposited a 2-0 fastball from Landon Knack (2-4) over the wall in left-center field. The homer was Urshela’s sixth of the season and first since Aug. 13 while he played with the Detroit Tigers.

Atlanta wasn’t done, as Soler followed up Merrifield’s single by sending a 1-0 curveball from Knack over the wall in left field. Soler’s homer was his 18th of the season and first since Aug. 28.

Knack took the loss after permitting five runs on seven hits in two innings.

Rojas put Los Angeles on the scoreboard by crushing a 3-1 fastball from Schwellenbach over the wall in left. Edman added an RBI single in the fourth to cut the Braves’ lead to 5-2.

–Field Level Media