Dominic Smith’s two-run homer sparks Braves’ 6-3 win over Pirates

ATLANTA. The Braves came out sharp against Braxton Ashcraft and then stayed aggressive after Pittsburgh pulled even. Dominic Smith capped a three-run fifth with a two-run opposite-field homer as Atlanta beat the Pirates 6-3 on Saturday, June 6, at Truist Park, turning early momentum into a series win.

Atlanta built a 3-0 edge through the middle of the third inning, highlighted by Ozzie Albies’ RBI sacrifice fly in the first inning and Austin Riley’s RBI double. The early lead mattered because it forced the Pirates, at least temporarily, into playing catch-up with starter Braxton Ashcraft and a bullpen that would eventually face a shorter margin for error.

The Pirates made their move in waves. Pittsburgh tied the game in the fifth with Brandon Lowe’s RBI sacrifice fly after Nick Gonzales and Tyler Callihan produced run-scoring doubles earlier in the inning mix. MLB’s game highlights also showed a busy defensive and rule-review sequence, including Oneil Cruz being called safe after an obstruction ruling and Austin Wynns and the Braves defense converting key outs during the swing back.

Atlanta’s response to that tie was immediate and unmistakably Braves. Ozzie Albies drove in another run after another base-path push, then Smith delivered the knockout blow, sending the homer just inside the left-field foul pole to make it 6-3. The sequence carried a common theme from start to finish, the Braves combining timely extra-base damage with base-running pressure rather than relying on a single scoring burst.

On the pitching side, Spencer Strider earned the win with a five-inning start that limited the damage even as the Pirates threatened more than once. Strider’s line on the official game coverage listed three runs allowed, five hits, and three strikeouts over five innings. Ashcraft took the loss after giving up six earned runs over five innings, with the Pirates’ extra-base production doing most of the work in rally windows.

In relief, Raisel Iglesias closed things out with his 13th save, pitching the ninth for the final out. The Braves finished with nine hits and one error in the official scoring, while Pittsburgh totaled eight hits and one error. For the Pirates, Callihan’s day stood out beyond the scoring, as the highlights included his first career stolen base.

With the win, Atlanta’s advantage in the NL East continued to expand, and the Braves entered the second week of June with the majors’ best record at 44-21, according to reporting around the game. Pittsburgh dropped to 34-31, and the result meant the Braves had already taken the first two games of the series. Next comes the Sunday, June 7 finale, where the Pirates will look to stop a sweep attempt and the Braves will try to keep their offense moving in the final game of the set.