Austin Riley had two hits and two RBIs and Grant Holmes pitched six-plus innings to spark a combined one-hitter as the visiting Atlanta Braves defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Thursday in a makeup game between the first-place clubs.
Holmes (8-5) shined against the White Sox in his second start against them this season. The Braves right-hander took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before Andrew Benintendi lined an opposite-field single to left after a leadoff walk. Holmes allowed one hit with three walks and three strikeouts.
Didier Fuentes entered and kept the shutout intact with three straight strikeouts. Dylan Lee registered two strikeouts in a perfect eighth and Raisel Iglesias added two more in a perfect ninth to earn his 26th save.
National League East-leading Atlanta avoided a series sweep while stopping a three-game losing streak. Chicago, tops in the American League Central, secured consecutive one-run victories against Atlanta on June 9-10 before the series finale initially slated for June 11 was postponed due to inclement weather.
Atlanta broke through against Chicago starter Anthony Kay in the third. Mauricio Dubon grounded a leadoff single for the Braves’ first hit of the afternoon and scored one batter later on Riley’s RBI double to left field.
Riley delivered a run-scoring single against Huascar Brazoban in the seventh. Dubon had three hits for Atlanta.
Holmes took a no-decision in the series opener June 9, spacing three runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings, including a two-run home run off the bat off Miguel Vargas.
He pitched far more effectively on Thursday, retiring the first five batters he faced and 11 in a row after walking Colson Montgomery with two out in the second inning.
Chicago squandered an opportunity against Holmes in the sixth. Drew Romo worked a one-out walk and advanced to second base with two away and Munetaka Murakami at the plate. But Holmes fanned Murakami to end the threat.
Kay fell to 9-6 after yielding two runs and five hits in six innings with one walk and six strikeouts.
The White Sox have lost three of four.
