The Atlanta Braves had a very successful doubleheader on Monday and it was all centered around their leadoff hitter, Ronald Acuna. The young star hit leadoff home runs in both games of the doubleheader, as the Braves took both games from the Miami Marlins. Acuna now has home runs in four straight contests, becoming the youngest player in the live ball era to accomplish that. The outfielder began his big day with a long ball in the first inning of Game 1, which was a 9-1 victory at SunTrust Park.
The first game also featured the major league debut of starting pitcher Touki Toussaint, who lasted six innings for his first big league win. Toussaint allowed one run and struck out four, as he was called up earlier in the day specifically for this doubleheader. The 26-year-old out of Haiti recently stepped away from the game to focus on soccer, but was then selected out of Arizona in the 2014 MLB Draft.
Toussaint was traded to the Braves in 2015 and became the third prospect this season to win their debut in the majors for Atlanta. He joins a list that includes Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard.
The young hurler was supported early on by Acuna, who hit his third leadoff home run of the season and 16th overall. Pablo Lopez gave up that blast for Miami and suffered his third loss of the season.
Meanwhile, the nightcap was not much different, as Acuna added another leadoff blast, his fourth of the season and 17th overall, in the Braves' 6-1 win over the Marlins. The 20-year-old is now just the fourth player to hit leadoff home runs in both games of a doubleheader. That impressive list includes Hall of Famers Ricky Henderson and Harry Hooper.
His first homer went the opposite way to right field, but the second one was pulled to left-center field. Acuna finished the day a combined 5-for-8 with two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, two walks, and a stolen base. He is the first to hit a pair of leadoff home runs in a day since Henderson did it with the Oakland Athletics against the Cleveland Indians on July 5th, 1993.
Mike Foltynewicz earned his 10th win in the second game, going eight innings and allowing just five hits. He has now set a career-high in wins, while also helping himself with an RBI single for just his third hit of the season. Freddie Freeman connected with his 19th home run of the season, seven of which have come against the Marlins this year. These two victories moves the Braves a full game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, as they will continue this series with the Marlins on Tuesday.
The first game also featured the major league debut of starting pitcher Touki Toussaint, who lasted six innings for his first big league win. Toussaint allowed one run and struck out four, as he was called up earlier in the day specifically for this doubleheader. The 26-year-old out of Haiti recently stepped away from the game to focus on soccer, but was then selected out of Arizona in the 2014 MLB Draft.
Toussaint was traded to the Braves in 2015 and became the third prospect this season to win their debut in the majors for Atlanta. He joins a list that includes Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard.
The young hurler was supported early on by Acuna, who hit his third leadoff home run of the season and 16th overall. Pablo Lopez gave up that blast for Miami and suffered his third loss of the season.
Meanwhile, the nightcap was not much different, as Acuna added another leadoff blast, his fourth of the season and 17th overall, in the Braves' 6-1 win over the Marlins. The 20-year-old is now just the fourth player to hit leadoff home runs in both games of a doubleheader. That impressive list includes Hall of Famers Ricky Henderson and Harry Hooper.
His first homer went the opposite way to right field, but the second one was pulled to left-center field. Acuna finished the day a combined 5-for-8 with two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, two walks, and a stolen base. He is the first to hit a pair of leadoff home runs in a day since Henderson did it with the Oakland Athletics against the Cleveland Indians on July 5th, 1993.
Mike Foltynewicz earned his 10th win in the second game, going eight innings and allowing just five hits. He has now set a career-high in wins, while also helping himself with an RBI single for just his third hit of the season. Freddie Freeman connected with his 19th home run of the season, seven of which have come against the Marlins this year. These two victories moves the Braves a full game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, as they will continue this series with the Marlins on Tuesday.
