Atlanta @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2019 ) Atlanta 8, Cleveland 7

The Atlanta Braves had lost four in a row and were staring at a 7-0 deficit in the finale of a Saturday doubleheader at the Cleveland Indians, but will enter Sunday seeking to win the series after a furious rally. Ronald Acuna Jr. doubled home the go-ahead run to lift the Braves to an 8-7 victory in the nightcap, after Atlanta dropped the opener 8-4 and trailed the final game by seven runs through four innings.

Atlanta salvaged a doubleheader split despite its two starters (Julio Teheran and Touki Toussaint) combining to allow 12 runs on 13 hits with five walks and three hit-batsman in six innings Saturday. Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana, one day after becoming a U.S. citizen, went 3-for-5 in the Indians 8-4 victory in the first game of the doubleheader and added a hit, a run scored and an RBI in the nightcap, and is hitting .397 with a 1.037 OPS. Shortstop Francisco Lindor made his season debut in the nightcap Saturday, going 1-for-5 with a run scored. Six Cleveland relievers allowed six runs on six hits with five walks in 2 2/3 innings in the final game Saturday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Max Fried (2-0, 0.92 ERA) vs. Indians RH Shane Bieber (2-0, 1.71)

One of the many young pitching prospects in Atlanta’s organization, Fried has nailed down a rotation start with three stellar starts in a row after opening the season in the Braves bullpen. The 25-year-old surrendered his first two earned runs of the season in a no-decision Tuesday against Arizona, giving up seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts over six innings. Fried has struck out 12 with two walks in 18 innings as a starter and, including two relief appearances in the first week of the season. has limited right-handed hitters to a .185 batting average and a .441 OPS.

Bieber has started quickly in his second major-league season, ranking third in the AL in ERA and second in WHIP (0.81) while holding opposing hitters to a .433 OPS. The 23-year-old, who posted a 4.55 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 20 games as a rookie in 2018, has won his past two starts - holding Seattle to one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts on Tuesday. Bieber struck out nine in his first start of the season April 5 against Toronto, then fired seven shutout innings April 11 at Detroit with six strikeouts and three hits allowed.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Braves are 9-13 in interleague play since the start of last season and they have not posted a winning record against the American League since 2013, when it went 11-9.

2. Cleveland OF Greg Allen and INF Max Moroff entered Saturday a combined 3-for-54 on the season, but went 3-for-7 with three runs scored, three RBIs and a homer in the opener of the doubleheader.

3. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning of the nightcap, extending his season-opening reaching base streak to 20 games.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Indians 4