Braves bash Twins starter Bailey Ober before storm delay and then breeze to 10-6 victory

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Olson hit a three-run homer and a two-run double in the first two innings against Bailey Ober before the game was stopped by a thunderstorm, powering Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves past the sputtering Minnesota Twins 10-6 on Monday night.

Fried (8-7) endured the 86-minute delay for his first win since June 23, finishing five innings and allowing only one earned run.

“We know that he always wants the ball,” Olson said. “I personally thought that someone was going to tell him no, but I thought it was cool.”

Braves manager Brian Snitker gave Fried the rare option to return after the rain.

“‘Whatever you feel like,’" Snitker told him. “He said, ‘I want to go. I don’t care how long we wait.’”

Travis d'Arnaud hit a two-run homer and Marcell Ozuna had two runs and two RBIs for the Braves, who emphatically ended Ober's streak of 11 straight quality starts with four runs before he recorded an out.

Whit Merrifield, who went 5 for 5, began the game with a single. Three batters later, Ober (12-6) threw an 0-2 cutter that Olson drove 423 feet into the second deck above right-center field for his 23rd homer.

Olson is well off the 54-home run pace he led baseball with last season, but in his last 16 games he has 17 RBIs, 12 runs, five homers and five doubles.

After severe weather warning sirens started wailing in the middle of the first inning, the Braves managed to squeeze in five more runs before the downpour began, the napkins and wrappers swirled down from the upper deck, and the grounds crew hustled the tarp onto the infield in the middle of the second.

“I didn’t know the rain was coming that early. I don’t think anyone did. It was hot, and I was sweating a lot, but I’ve had games like that before and I was able to pitch through it," Ober said. "No excuses.”

Ober, who had logged at least six innings and allowed three runs or fewer over his last 11 turns for a 2.09 ERA and eight wins by the Twins, threw 55 pitches and made manager Rocco Baldelli's decision easy to go to the bullpen after the game resumed.

The 6-foot-9 right-hander, who has blossomed into an ace for a rotation thinned by injuries and now rounded out with three rookies, got two outs in the second inning before the Braves got in some more batting practice with five straight men on base.

Fried gave up two unearned runs in the fifth, before striking out Royce Lewis to end the inning and strand runners at the corners.

“I’ve already had an outing where I went two-thirds of an inning,” Fried said, “so the last thing I wanted to do is to have a similar one knowing that we were going to be playing tonight and the guys would have to cover another eight.”

Having struggled in his return from a forearm injury after the All-Star break, Fried had seven strikeouts without a walk and only one extra-base hit allowed on a double by Manny Margot to lead off the first.

“He kind of turned the corner the last start against the Phillies,” Snitker said. “I mean, it was like him again. It was Max. And tonight, too. That was more of what we expect.”

The resiliency of the Braves (71-60) has been remarkable, considering five of their eight All-Star selections from last year have had their seasons either ended or ruined by injuries, starting with 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr.

Atlanta kept pace with NL East-leading Philadelphia, six games back with its streak of six straight division titles in trouble. The Braves, though, have a three-game lead on the New York Mets for the third and final NL wild card.

The Twins (72-59) actually gained ground on AL Central leader Cleveland despite their sixth loss in the last eight games, because the Guardians (75-57) were swept in a doubleheader by Kansas City. The Royals pulled within one game, and the Twins — who lead Boston by five games for the final AL wild card — are now 2½ games back of Cleveland.

Matt Wallner homered late for the Twins, who started their third straight interleague series and dropped to 16-22 against NL opponents.

UP NEXT

The Braves will send RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (5-6, 3.94 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday night opposite Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-3, 3.69).

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Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson celebrates while running the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Grounds crew members roll the tarp into the field during a weather delay of a baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober reacts after a three-run home run by Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober reacts after a two-run home run by Atlanta Braves' Travis d'Arnaud during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson, center, celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober reacts after a three-run home run by Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in Mexico's resort-studded Los Cabos area warned tourists and residents alike to stay inside Friday as Tropical Storm Ileana began to pound the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula with rain.

Ileana formed Thursday off the Pacific coast of Mexico and was lumbering north-northwest at 9 mph (15 kmh), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The forecast path would take it over or near the twin resorts of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.

Ileana was centered about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southeast of Cabo San Lucas, the center said in a Friday morning advisory. Maximum sustained winds were at 45 mph (75 kph), and Ileana was expected to reach the coast during the next several hours.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for portions of the Baja California Peninsula, including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Forecasters predicted 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain would fall with Ileana, and up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) was possible for coastal areas of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco states through Friday.

Ileana is expected to move across the southern portion of the Baja California peninsula Friday and over the southern and central Gulf of California this weekend.

Los Cabos Civil Protection issued a red alert for Los Cabos and La Paz on Friday morning. “Stay totally indoors, do not go outside until authorities advise, and be aware of alerts issued by authorities,” they shared on Facebook.

They also urged residents to avoid crossing rivers, streams, and low areas where they can be swept away by water.

All schools in Los Cabos were also suspended Friday due to the storm.

Óscar Cruces Rodríguez of Mexico’s federal Civil Protection said in a statement that residents should avoid leaving their homes until the storm passes and if residents are in an area at risk of flooding to find temporary shelters.

Authorities prepared 20 temporary shelters in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, according to Los Cabos Civil Protection.

At the Hacienda Beach Club and Residences in Cabo San Lucas, valet worker Alan Galvan said the rain arrived late Thursday night and has been constant. “The rain isn't very strong right now, but the waves are choppy," he said.

“The guests are very calm and already came down for coffee,” Galvan said. “There's some flights canceled but everything is ok at the moment.” Galvan said they are awaiting further advisories from authorities.

Felipe Gomez, a worker at the Vibrant Cabo San Lucas Marina Restaurant was the first to arrive at work, but was awaiting orders from management on whether they would close.

“Honestly it’s pretty ugly right now, the whole main boulevard is flooded and all the businesses are closed,” he said.

“I’m waiting for them to confirm and then I’ll go home," he said. "I hope it gets better and conditions don’t worsen.”

This satellite image taken at 12:40 pm ET on Sept. 13, 2024, provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows Tropical Storm Ileana at Mexico's southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. (NOAA via AP)