Martin Perez tossed six scoreless innings and Austin Riley hit a pair of opposite-field home runs as the visiting Atlanta Braves smashed the Philadelphia Phillies 9-0 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

After getting designated for assignment and re-signed by Atlanta earlier in the week, Perez (1-1) allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out four. Jose Suarez logged the final three innings for the save, helping the Braves improve to 7-2 in their last nine.

The Phillies, meanwhile, have dropped seven of nine. They managed only six hits in this one, including three by Bryce Harper and two by J.T. Realmuto. Starter Taijuan Walker (1-3) was charged with seven runs and seven hits in four frames.

Atlanta’s first three batters of the game reached against Walker, who eventually allowed two runs in the inning capped by Mike Yastrzemski’s run-scoring infield single.

Philadelphia threatened in the bottom half, but Perez retired Edmundo Sosa and Realmuto with the bases loaded to escape the jam.

The Braves’ offense put together another rally in the second inning as Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuna singled with one out. Walker recovered to strike out Drake Baldwin, but Matt Olson delivered an RBI single and Riley followed with a three-run shot over the right-field wall to make it 6-0.

Dominic Smith’s homer in the third increased the lead to 7-0.

Harper tripled with one out in the third, but the Phillies could not bring him around. Perez had no major issues in the fourth, fifth or sixth before handing it off to the bullpen.

Suarez allowed a one-out walk to Trea Turner in the seventh, but he retired the next two hitters. He logged another strong inning in the eighth, giving up a two-out single to Realmuto before setting down Alec Bohm on a popout.

Harris’ homer in the eighth and Riley’s blast in the ninth — the third of the season for both — extended the margin to 9-0.

Suarez took care of the ninth to complete his third career save and the Braves’ fourth shutout in 20 games.

–Field Level Media

Jeremiah Jackson hit a three-run homer off Connor Brogdon as part of a six-run eighth inning, rallying the visiting Baltimore Orioles to a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night.

Jackson’s fifth home run of the season came with two outs, capping a wild turn of events that saw the Orioles score six times off relievers Shawn Armstrong, Erik Sabrowski and Brogdon on two hits, three walks and a hit by pitch.

Cleveland had taken a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh on Daniel Schneemann’s second career grand slam, a towering 407-foot drive to right off Anthony Nunez, before Baltimore stormed back to snap its three-game losing streak.

Rico Garcia (2-0) was awarded the win for working a clean eighth inning, while Ryan Helsley earned his sixth save in six opportunities. Sabrowski (0-1) allowed two runs and recorded two outs for the loss.

Baltimore pulled within 4-3 on a sacrifice fly from Johnathan Rodriguez and a two-run double by fellow pinch hitter Weston Wilson before Brogdon entered to face Jackson. Sabrowski came in after Armstrong put three aboard without getting an out.

Schneemann’s slam caused the first inherited runs by the Orioles’ bullpen in their 20th game. Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter and Jose Ramirez reached against Grant Wolfram, including Kwan on an error by second baseman Jackson that made three of the runs unearned.

Tanner Bibee tossed a season-high six innings for the Guardians, striking out five in his initial scoreless appearance of 2026. The right-hander allowed four hits and three walks, but remained winless in five outings.

Orioles starter Chris Bassitt threw 100 pitches over five scoreless innings, giving up four hits and four walks with two strikeouts. The righty, who is still seeking his first win, stranded seven runners in his longest outing of the year.

There was a delay in the fifth when Baltimore right fielder Colton Cowser collided with the wall while catching a foul ball by DeLauter. He remained in the game after having his knees checked out by a trainer.

–Field Level Media

Bubba Chandler allowed one run over six innings and the host Pittsburgh Pirates totaled 11 hits to secure a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

Chandler (1-1) struck out three, allowed three hits and walked one while throwing 90 pitches in his first career start against the Rays, who had a six-game winning streak snapped.

Marcell Ozuna, Spencer Horwitz and Brandon Lowe each had three hits to lead the Pirates. Lowe had two doubles and two RBIs against his former team. Ozuna continued to break out of a slump with his eighth hit in his past 20 at-bats after starting the season with a 2-for-39 stretch.

After Chandler limited Tampa Bay to one hit over his first 5 2/3 innings, Junior Caminero drove in the Rays’ lone run in the top of the sixth with a game-tying, two-out single.

Oneil Cruz broke the tie with two outs in the bottom of that inning when he smacked a two-run home run off Rays reliever Griffin Jax over the right field fence.

Horwitz’s second-inning double scored Ozuna to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.

Chandler retired 10 in a row until Chandler Simpson’s two-out single on a high chopper that went off Chandler’s glove and allowed him to beat the throw to first. Simpson reached second on a wild pitch and then scored on Caminero’s single.

Rays starter Nick Martinez (0-1) threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts. He was lifted in the sixth after allowing a leadoff single to Horwitz and inducing a fielder’s choice from Konnor Griffin. After stealing second, Griffin advanced to third on a wild pitch by Jax. Cruz then delivered his sixth homer of the season.

The Rays had two runners on base in the ninth after a double by Yandy Diaz and after Ben Williamson drew a walk from Pirates closer Dennis Santana. But Santana induced a game-ending popup in foul ground by Cedric Mullins.

–Field Level Media