Braves Defeat Diamondbacks 8-2, Chris Sale Earns First Win

PHOENIX — Chris Sale won his first game of the season Friday night as the Atlanta Braves beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2, kicking off a three-game series. The Braves have now won six of their last seven games.

Austin Riley and Eli White each contributed two runs for the Braves, securing their first win against a National League West team this season after starting 0-7 on the road.

Sale, who is the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, pitched five innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out four. He improved his record to 1-2 and lowered his ERA from 6.17 to 5.40.

“It felt good to get the first win,” Sale said postgame. “I focused on pitching out of trouble and executing my pitches.”

White drove in the Braves’ first run during a three-run second inning off Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen, who fell to 1-4 after allowing three runs and five hits in his outing.

In the eighth inning, Atlanta scored three more runs, with contributions from Ozzie Albies, White and Riley. White had been starting in place of Jarred Kelenic, who has struggled recently.

Arizona’s Corbin Carroll went 1 for 5 and had a triple, but a home run was overturned upon review. Carroll had entered the game tied for the major league lead with nine home runs.

The Braves now aim to build on this victory as they face the Diamondbacks again on Saturday, with Grant Holmes scheduled to pitch against Merrill Kelly.