Albies and Olson Hit Back-to-Back Homers in 9th to Lift Braves Over Diamondbacks

Atlanta secures 2-0 victory with late-inning power surge

Apr. 4, 2026 at 9:54am

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In a tight pitchers' duel, Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies and first baseman Matt Olson opened the ninth inning with back-to-back home runs to give the Braves a 2-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Braves starter Grant Holmes held the Diamondbacks to just one hit through six innings, while Arizona's Eduardo Rodríguez also turned in a strong outing, keeping the game scoreless until the late heroics from Albies and Olson.

Why it matters

The Braves' victory improves their record to 6-2 on the young season, while the Diamondbacks drop to 3-5 and have scored just 3 runs in their last 3 games. The late-inning power display from Albies and Olson showcases the Braves' offensive firepower and ability to win close, low-scoring games.

The details

With the game tied 0-0 in the top of the ninth inning, Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hit a go-ahead solo home run off Diamondbacks reliever Paul Sewald. Olson then followed with a solo shot of his own, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead they would not relinquish. Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth for his first save of the season.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • Albies and Olson hit their back-to-back home runs in the top of the ninth inning.

The players

Ozzie Albies

Atlanta Braves second baseman who hit the go-ahead home run in the 9th inning.

Matt Olson

Atlanta Braves first baseman who followed Albies with a home run of his own in the 9th inning.

Grant Holmes

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher who held the Diamondbacks to one hit through six innings.

Eduardo Rodríguez

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher who turned in a strong outing, keeping the game scoreless until the late innings.

Paul Sewald

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher who gave up the back-to-back home runs to Albies and Olson in the 9th inning.

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What they’re saying

“It was a big win for us, especially coming on the road against a tough team like the Diamondbacks. Ozzie and Matty came up huge in the ninth to give us the lead.”

— Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves Manager

What’s next

The two teams will continue their four-game series on Saturday, with Braves right-hander Bryce Elder facing off against Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka.

The takeaway

The Braves' late-inning power display and strong pitching performances from Holmes and Rodríguez showcased the high level of talent and competitiveness in this early-season matchup between two NL playoff contenders.