PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. left Atlanta’s 8-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday after he tore his left ACL, and the Braves won behind Chris Sale.
Acuña opened the game with a double to right-center field against Martín Pérez. With Marcell Ozuna at the plate, Acuña started toward third on a stolen base attempt and his left knee gave way. The reigning NL MVP remained down for several minutes while being treated, pointing at his left leg before walking off under his own power.
The Braves’ initial diagnosis was left knee soreness. But the team announced Sunday night that an MRI showed a complete ACL tear that will require season-ending surgery.
Jarred Kelenic went 3 for 4 in place of Acuña, a 26-year-old outfielder batting .250 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 49 games.
Sale (8-1) struck out eight while pitching seven innings of one-run ball. It was another impressive outing for the 35-year-old left-hander, who has regained the form that earned him seven straight All-Star selections from 2012-18 before a string of injuries
Matt Olson homered and drove in three runs as Atlanta salvaged the finale of the three-game series.
Pérez allowed one run and four hits in three innings before departing with a left groin injury. The 33-year-old left-hander was checked after Kelenic beat him to first for a one-out single in the third. He then allowed an RBI double from Ozzie Albies that tied it at 1.
Pittsburgh also lost catcher Joey Bart, who was removed after the first inning and replaced by Yasmani Grandal because of a left thumb injury.
“Very, very strange,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of the three injuries in the first three innings. “The Acuña thing, I actually didn’t even see it happen. I watched the replay. … That was a little concerning for a guy that’s as talented (as he is) in our game, the way he went down. Then with Joey and Martín, yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.”
Shelton said he expects to have more information on Pérez and Bart on Monday.
