braves score became a simple snapshot of control on Monday night: Atlanta opened the series against the Athletics with a 4-0 win powered by Bryce Elder’s first start of the season and a decisive three-run first inning.
What Happens When Bryce Elder sets the tone early for the Braves Score?
Elder’s night began with a 1-2-3 inning, and the Braves followed by jumping on Athletics starter Jacob Lopez immediately. Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the game with a walk, and Atlanta quickly converted that baserunner into early damage. Matt Olson drove in Acuña with an RBI double, then Mauricio Dubón brought home both Olson and Drake Baldwin with an RBI single to cap a three-run first.
That early burst turned the game into a clear test of whether Elder could protect a lead—something that has troubled him at times in the past. This time, he stayed in command. Even when he allowed a hit in the second inning to Lawrence Butler, Elder erased the baserunner by picking Butler off first to end the inning. It was Elder’s first career pickoff throw, and it matched the larger theme of the outing: he was decisive, under control, and unafraid to execute details.
What If the middle innings define Elder’s season arc?
The Athletics did mount a moment of pressure in the fourth inning, putting Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker on base with one out. Elder navigated the situation without allowing damage, retiring Jacob Wilson and Lawrence Butler on consecutive fly ball outs, both coming on changeups.
In the fifth inning, Elder added a more emphatic statement. Despite a Carlos Cortes walk, he struck out the side and ended the frame by punching out Nick Kurtz looking with a sinker. By the time Elder’s night ended, he had delivered six shutout innings with five strikeouts, working around traffic that included five hits and one walk. The baserunners were real, but the scoring threat never became decisive.
The performance carried added meaning because it was his first start of the season and a potentially encouraging sign if he can be relied upon consistently, as he was during the first half of the 2023 season.
What Happens When the early offense forces a pitching imbalance?
While Elder worked efficiently—needing 83 pitches to get through six innings—Lopez labored. Atlanta collected five hits against him and also drew five walks, pushing his pitch count up quickly. Lopez lasted four innings and threw 91 pitches.
After Lopez exited, the Athletics bullpen settled the game down and limited Atlanta’s chances for much of the middle-to-late portion. The Braves did not threaten much from the fifth inning onward, even though Acuña nearly changed that with a deep drive to left-center that looked headed out off the bat before landing at the base of the wall for a double. He was stranded to end the inning, keeping the offensive storyline focused on the early breakthrough rather than sustained pressure.
Still, the final read was emphatic: the Braves produced enough offense right away, and Elder ensured it was more than enough. In the end, braves score reflected a complete series-opening shutout win built on clean early execution and steady pitching across six innings from the starter.
