Athletics’ Lawrence Butler jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
A view of Sutter Heath Park during the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Athletics and the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs throws to an Atlanta Braves batter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Athletics’ Nick Kurtz high fives his teammates after hitting a grand slam against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Kurtz hits a grand slam, Butler adds 2 HRs as Athletics dominate Braves 10-1
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nick Kurtz hit a grand slam, Lawrence Butler homered twice and the Athletics beat the Atlanta Braves 10-1 on Tuesday night.
Athletics’ Lawrence Butler jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nick Kurtz hit a grand slam, Lawrence Butler homered twice and the Athletics beat the Atlanta Braves 10-1 on Tuesday night.
The Braves have lost five straight and seven of eight.
Jeffrey Springs (7-6) pitched six innings and gave up a run — a solo shot by Eli White in the fifth — on six hits.
Butler led off the first inning with . Jacob Wilson was hit on the wrist by the next pitch and was replaced by pinch-runner Max Schuemann before Brent Rooker and Max Muncy each hit two-run homers to make it 5-0.
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Butler hit a solo shot in the third to make it 10-0.
Didier Fuentes (0-3) — the youngest active player in the majors at 20 years and 21 days old — pitched one-plus innings and gave up eight runs on five hits, which included three homers.
Justin Sterner threw two hitless innings of relief before Elvis Alvarado pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the Athletics.
All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (back tightness) did not play for the Braves.
Key moment
Denzel Clarke hit a leadoff single in the second inning, Butler walked and Schuemann singled to load the bases and chase Fuentes. Jesse Chavez came on gave Kurtz hit his first career .
Key stat
Butler became the first A’s player to hit a since Elmer Valo on June 25, 1943.
Up next
Atlanta’s Bryce Elder (2-6, 5.92 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Wednesday against Mitch Spence (2-4, 4.06) in the second of a three-game series.
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