Braves bats awaken to snap losing skid against Royals

Offense? In this economy?

The Braves scored 10 runs on nine hits and an astounding 14 walks against the Kansas City Royals on Monday night, picking up a 10-7 victory to snap a five-game losing skid.

Spencer Strider did not look comfortable in the early going and gave up two runs in the first. He needed 50 pitches to get through two innings but settled in nicely from there, pitching into the sixth inning to help preserve a taxed bullpen.

The Braves were unable to solve 45-year old Rich Hill the first time through the order, but they figured him out with haste in the middle innings as Ronald Acuña Jr. and Marcell Ozuna each crushed two-run homers to give Atlanta a 4-2 lead. Acuña’s shot went 468 feet — an absolute blast — and Ozuna’s homer was a sight for sore eyes with the trade deadline less than 72 hours away.

The score held at 4-2 until the Braves broke it open in the seventh and eighth. Austin Riley homered to end a mini 0-for-14 skid, and in the eighth, Matt Olson doubled to score a run and Riley cleared the bases with a double of his own to make it 9-3. Jurickson Profar would add another run of insurance in the ninth with an RBI single.

Things got a little sticky in the 9th inning as Rafael Montero failed to record an out and allowed three runs to score on two hits and two walks. Thankfully, with the score 10-6, Raisel Iglesias came in and promptly put out the fire to secure the 10-7 win.

The series continues Tuesday night in Kansas City on Tuesday night with Erick Fedde set to make his Braves debut against Seth Lugo, who has been very good this season and just landed a contract extension. First pitch at 7:40 p.m. ET.