Ronald Acuña Jr. homers for 2nd straight game in return to lineup as Braves beat Padres 7-1

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. homered for the second straight game in his return from a nearly year-long absence due to a knee injury, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

Acuña homered on the first pitch he saw in his season debut Friday. On Saturday, he hit a 411-foot, two-run shot to left field in the sixth inning, going 1 for 5. The 27-year-old is 3 for 9 in his two games back after missing the previous 161 games due to a torn ACL in his left knee.

Atlanta's win halted a seven-game skid against the Padres that included a two-game sweep in last season’s National League playoffs.

Matt Olson hit his fifth homer in seven games for the Braves, who took advantage of an unexpected bullpen game from the Padres after starter Michael King was scratched less than an hour game time due to shoulder stiffness.

Grant Holmes (3-3) gave up one run in seven innings, his fifth quality start in 10 chances this season. The 29-year-old right-hander gave up six hits, a walk and struck out six.

Padres third baseman Manny Machado, who won Friday's game with a homer in the ninth inning, went 2 for 2 with an RBI and two walks.

Padres starter Sean Reynolds (0-1) worked 2 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits, including Olson’s home run. Reynolds threw a season-high 57 pitches as the Padres lost for the seventh time in eight games.

With the Braves leading 3-1 in the sixth inning, Machado and Jackson Merrill reached to open the inning. Holmes struck out Xander Bogaerts and retired Gavin Sheets and Jake Croneworth to get out of the jam.

Braves rookie Drake Baldwin is hitting .488 in May (20 for 41) with three home runs and nine RBIs after going 3 for 4 with a walk.

Braves RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (3-3, 3.52) will face Padres RHP Dylan Cease (1-3, 4.50) in the finale of the three-game series Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado rounds second base in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

San Diego Padres pitcher Sean Reynolds delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves' Nick Allen (2) drives in a run with an infield single in the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes (66) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. hits a two-run home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — John Marino scored at 4:03 of the third period to break a tie and give the Utah Mammoth a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

Marino also assisted on Nick Schmaltz's 17th goal of the season and Karel Vejmelka made 26 stops as the Mammoth won for the fifth time in six games.

Mikko Rantanen scored and Jake Oettinger had 25 saves for Dallas, which has lost nine of its last 11 games.

Schmaltz broke a scoreless deadlock with 7 seconds left in the second period, tipping in a feed from Marino. It was the fourth latest goal in any regulation period in Utah's short franchise history.

The Mammoth nearly made it 2-0 just 38 seconds into the third, but Lawson Crouse had his goal wiped off the board for high-sticking.

Rantanen leveled the score with a power-play goal at the 2:04 of the third.

Marino answered two minutes later, snapping the puck home from long distance to put the Mammoth up 2-1 with his second winning goal of the season.

Utah improved to 16-1-1 this season when leading after two periods.

Stars: host Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Mammoth: host Seattle on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Dallas Stars defenseman Kyle Capobianco, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) shoots the puck against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson, center left, fights for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)