Joyce, Freeman power Braves past Blue Jays

Matt Joyce and Freddie Freeman each homered and drove in two runs, and the visiting Atlanta Braves defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 on Wednesday night. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Adeiny Hechavarria also had two RBIs apiece, and Joyce finished 3-for-5.

Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz allowed three runs (two earned), eight hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings and did not qualify for the win as the teams split a two-game set. Reliever Luke Jackson (8-2) allowed two hits and a run in 1 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Blue Jays starter Jacob Waguespack (4-2) allowed five runs (three earned), six hits and two walks in three innings.

The Braves batted around in a five-run second that started with Joyce's fifth homer. Hechavarria reached first on an error by third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Francisco Cervelli walked, and Rafael Ortega hit an RBI double. Cervelli suffered a cramped left quadriceps running to third on the hit and was replaced by Tyler Flowers. Acuna hit a two-run double, and Freeman added an RBI double.

The Blue Jays scored twice in the fourth, which started with a single by Justin Smoak and a double by Teoscar Hernandez. Smoak scored on Brandon Drury's groundout, and Hernandez came home on a passed ball. Doubles by Cavan Biggio and Randal Grichuk scored a Toronto run in the fifth.

Sam Gaviglio replaced Waguespack and allowed a single while striking out four in 2 2/3 innings, with Jason Adam finishing the sixth. The Blue Jays cut the lead to one run in the bottom of the sixth on a single by Danny Jansen, a walk by Biggio and an RBI single by Guerrero.

Atlanta loaded the bases with none out in a three-run seventh on two walks and a hit batter against Adam. Joyce hit an RBI single, and Hechavarria had a two-run single. Chris Martin struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh, and Shane Greene was perfect in the eighth. Freeman hit his 36th homer this season against Buddy Boshers in the ninth. Atlanta's Jerry Blevins pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth in a non-save situation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)