Ozuna warms up for the Home Run Derby with 2 blasts in the Braves’ 6-1 win against the Padres
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) — All-Star Marcell Ozuna warmed up for the Home Run Derby with blasts of 413 and 422 feet, and Orlando Arcia had a two-run shot for the Atlanta Braves, who beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 on Friday night for their fifth win in seven games.
Ozuna left no doubt with his powerful shots. He led off the fifth with a 413-foot homer to left off knuckleballer Matt Waldron (5-8) that tied the score at 1 and then led off the ninth with a 422-footer to center off Enyel De Los Santos.
Ozuna has 26 homers this season. He was named an All-Star reserve and will participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday night.
Asked if he’s ready for the Derby, he said: “Yeah, 100%. I’m going to have fun and give like an example for my kids.”
Ozuna, who hit a career-high 40 homers last year, went deep in both games of a doubleheader against the Padres in Atlanta on May 20.
“I don’t try” to hit home runs, he said. “I just try to hit the ball on the barrel. I put a very good swing on it and feel happy.”
Rookie starter Spencer Schwellenbach was impressed with Ozuna’s power show.
“It’s always fun. He always has great at-bats and hammers baseballs. I guess he’s ready for the Derby.”
Ozuna also set a Braves record with 77 RBIs before the break.
“I couldn’t be happier,” manager Brian Snitker said. “That’s some good company there, too, the guys he passed. I’m proud of him and happy for him, everything he accomplishes.”
The Padres lost their fifth straight game and dropped to one game above .500.
After Ozuna’s homer in the fifth, Adam Duvall doubled, advanced on Eddie Rosario’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Travis d’Arnaud’s single to right. Arcia followed with a 401-foot homer to left-center, his seventh, as Ozuna gestured in approval from the dugout.
The Padres had taken a 1-0 lead against Schwellenbach (3-4) when Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado hit consecutive doubles opening the fourth.
Schwellenbach made his big league debut on May 29, two days before he turned 24.
Making his eighth start, he held the Padres to one run and three hits in seven innings, with three strikeouts and one walk.
Snitker said it was big that Schwellenbach shut down the Padres after giving up the consecutive doubles in the fourth.
“That’s probably the most impressive thing, he just limited it to that. Hitting with all his pitches. He was really good. I was glad he could touch the seventh inning, too,” Snitker said. “That’s a really, really good lineup, too.”
Waldron allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Activated 2B Xander Bogaerts from the disabled list. Optioned C Brett Sullivan to Triple-A El Paso. Recalled RHP Sean Reynolds from El Paso. Placed LHP Wandy Peralta on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a left adductor strain.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Reynaldo López (7-2, 1.71 ERA) and Padres RHP Dylan Cease (7-8, 4.21) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
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