In a play that drew comparisons to baseball’s most infamous bloopers, Braves designated hitter Ronald Acuña Jr. connected on a two-run home run during Thursday night’s game against the Marlins at Truist Park in Atlanta. The ball was initially crushed into the air by Acuña, but center fielder Esteury Ruiz and left fielder Heriberto Hernandez collided with each other in the outfield, causing the ball to deflect over the wall for the homer.
The unlikely home run marked Acuña’s third in 10 games since returning from a hamstring strain. In his first nine games back from the injury, he recorded a batting average of .176 with two home runs and 12 strikeouts, indicating his timing and conditioning remained works in progress following the injury layoff.
The home run proved significant as the Braves continued a strong run of performances. Atlanta has won seven consecutive games and captured 15 of its last 20 contests overall. The winning streak helped the team reestablish considerable distance atop the National League East, as they now hold an 8½-game advantage over the Philadelphia Phillies. The margin represents a substantial swing from earlier in the season, when the gap had narrowed to just two games as recently as July 18.
The Braves currently sit a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League’s second seed position, which carries significant playoff implications by securing a Wild Card Series bye.
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