The Atlanta Braves knocked Nick Kingham around Monday by scoring five runs on six hits and four walks in a 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday in a Grapefruit League game in Orlando.
Kingham got rocked in the first inning, allowing Ender Inciarte to hit a leadoff double followed by Josh Donaldson’s RBI single to center for a 1-0 lead. After getting Freddie Freeman to strike out swinging, Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed a two-run home run to left-center for a 3-0 lead. Acuna Jr. went 2 for 2 with a walk and scored two runs.
The Braves added two more runs in the third off Kingham, who threw 75 pitches in 3 2/3 innings, 43 for strikes with two strikeouts.
The Pirates scored twice in the fourth, on RBI singles by third baseman Colin Moran and left fielder Patrick Kivlehan, who went 3 for 3.
Jameson Taillon will start against left-hander Stephen Gonsalves when the Pirates play the Minnesota Twins at 1:05 p.m. Tuesday at LECOM Park in Bradenton. Jordan Lyles, Michael Feliz and Tyler Lyons also are scheduled to pitch.
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