Olson homers twice and Sale wins his major league-leading 18th as the Braves rout the Reds 15-3

CINCINNATI (AP) — Matt Olson hit two of Atlanta's six home runs, Chris Sale coasted to his major league-leading 18th win and the Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 15-3 on Thursday.

The Braves became the first team in major league history to hit four three-run homers in a game, according to Elias, and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the Mets for the final NL wild-card spot. New York played later Thursday.

Along with his career-best win total, Sale (18-3) also leads the majors in ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225).

“I felt good. I was able to get through it,” said Sale, who is expecting to make two more starts and a chance to win 20 games. “This was a little bit of a grind but when the offense goes off like that, it takes a little bit off what I need to do."

Sale pitched five innings, allowing two runs and five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. It was the 18th consecutive game in which he allowed two runs or fewer.

“I could tell he was beat (tired),” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I just think it was hot. It’s an early game. The way he competed to get through that thing, especially in that last inning, he’s different. He has 18 wins for a reason.”

Olson hit his 27th home run and second of the series leading off the second inning. Ramon Laureano hit a three-run homer in the third, his ninth, off rookie Julian Aguiar.

“I like to hit here. It’s just the park, a smaller park,” Olson said. “It has a short right-field fence. A couple balls get out here that aren’t good enough in other places. It’s fun as a hitter. Hopefully, this is a nice little spark.”

Marcell Ozuna doubled in a run in the fifth after Aguiar hit Michael Harris II and Jorge Soler to lead off the inning. Olson greeted Yosver Zuleta with his second homer of the game. It was his fourth multi-homer game of the season and 25th of his career.

Harris hit the Braves' sixth home run with two on in the ninth off Brandon Leibrandt.

The Braves rebounded from a loss Monday night to take the last two games of the season series. The Reds won 4-2.

“These guys, for as long as I can remember, have a really good way of turning the page,” Snitker said. “Every day is a new day. These guys epitomize that. They put a bad one behind them. They don’t rest on their laurels on a good one.”

Soler's 20th home run with two on also came off Leibrandt, the son of former Braves' and Reds' pitcher Charlie Leibrandt. Harris hit his 14th home run and third of the series in the eighth.

Rookie Blake Dunn brought his .095 average to the plate in the third inning. He hit a leadoff single. Dunn stole second and third and scored on Jonathan India's single. The Reds loaded the bases but Ty France hit into a double play.

Dunn hit his first big league home run leading off the fifth inning.

“It was really cool in the moment. Reflecting back on it now, it would have been better if we got a win with it, too. He’s been an amazing pitcher for a long time,” Dunn said.

Dunn walked and scored his third run of the game on Elly De La Cruz's single.

Aguiar (2-1) pitched four-plus innings. He was charged with seven runs on six hits.

“It was a tough day in all areas,” Reds' manager David Bell said. “What is going to make Aggie good is his command. He was off a tick today. The Braves put good swings on the ball and took advantage.”

Snitker confirmed after the game that Ozzie Albies will be activated for the series in Miami.

UP NEXT

Braves: Travel to Miami to start at three-game series. Charlie Morton (8-8, 4.01 ERA) pitches for the Braves.

Reds: Host Pirates starting Friday. Nick Martinez (9-6, 3.37 ERA) is scheduled to start.

Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson hits a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Reds' Blake Dunn hits a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Luke Jackson delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson, center, celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Atlanta Braves' Jorge Soler, right, embraces teammate Orlando Arcia, center, after hitting a 3-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

SELVA DI VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — Marco Odermatt finally conquered the Saslong and the Swiss standout did it in style.

Odermatt put down what he called “one of my best” downhill runs on Saturday to win a World Cup race in Val Gardena as the three-time overall World Cup champion looked like back to his imperious best.

The 27-year-old beat Swiss teammate Franjo von Allmen by 0.45 seconds for his first victory at the resort in the Italian Dolomites. Odermatt had had four podium finishes there — including in Saturday’s super-G — but had never been better than second.

It was Odermatt’s 40th World Cup victory but only his third in downhill.

"It was one of my best downhills," Odermatt said. “If you want to win the downhill, you need the perfect run and today already on the top, which is not really my section, I could ski very well and finally I also jumped well, and then it was really perfect. So yeah, very happy with the run.”

It had also been a less than stellar start to the season for Odermatt — by his lofty standards — and he yelled out in joy several times after crossing the line, before taking off his skis and raising them up and letting out another long shout.

Before Odermatt came down it had been an incredibly tight race, with the top three separated by just 0.02. In the end, American skier Ryan Cochran-Siegle finished third, with Nils Allègre of France missing out on what would have been only his second ever podium finish by one hundredth of a second.

It was Cochrane-Siegle's third podium after also finishing third in Val Gardena four years ago and winning the super-G in Bormio 10 days later.

“It was good skiing, it was fun,” he said. “Gardena is a really challenging hill to ski, in the sense of skiing fast. I’ve had runs here where I thought I’d put down a good one, and it’s been seconds out, so you really never know until you cross the finish line.

"I was just focusing on trying to carry speed as much as possible. When I ski my best I do that — keeping skiing really simple, back to basics.”

Odermatt won the downhill World Cup title last season, as well as the super-G, giant slalom and overall crystal globes.

The only previous downhill this season was in Beaver Creek, where Odermatt finished second to teammate Justin Murisier.

Odermatt moved 78 points above Murisier in the downhill standings and 50 points above Henrik Kristoffersen in the overall.

The circuit moves to nearby Alta Badia where there is a giant slalom on Sunday and a slalom the following day.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn finished 14th in a super-G in St. Moritz, Switzerland to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40. Her comeback continues in a super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt listens to the national anthem on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, center, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, left, and third-placed United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebratesat the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)