Braves Cruise to Sweep Over Twins

Apr 20, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) reacts after hitting a home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves, fresh off Saturday night’s 4-3 win, came into Easter Sunday with a chance to sweep the Minnesota Twins at Truist Park. Grant Holmes took the mound for Atlanta and faced off against Joe Ryan in what turned into a strong all-around day for the Braves.

Braves Jump on the Board Early

Holmes started his outing with confidence, retiring the Twins in order with two strikeouts, including Byron Buxton, who has been a challenging out all series.

It didn’t take long for the Braves to make some noise. Marcell Ozuna drew a walk, and Matt Olson, who’s been heating up lately, unloaded a two-run shot to right field. Just like that, Atlanta had an early 2-0 lead and momentum in their favor.

Holmes looked sharp through two innings, throwing just 25 pitches. His command was on point, and he worked quickly and efficiently. He’s looking more and more like a reliable option in this Braves rotation; the stuff is there, and hitters are struggling to square him up.

Offense Keeps Clicking, Especially with Two Outs

After two quick outs in the second, Jarred Kelenic, who faced criticism after Saturday’s baserunning lapse, answered with a single. Alex Verdugo followed with another knock to put runners at the corners, and Austin Riley delivered an RBI single to left. It was 3-0 Braves, and the two-out damage was starting to pile up.

Atlanta kept that two-out magic going into the third. With nobody on and two outs again, Michael Harris II laced a double to right. That set the stage for rookie Drake Baldwin, who launched his first home run at Truist Park and second of the season. A no-doubter. The Braves were up 5-0, and the bats were rolling.

Holmes Battles Through Trouble

Holmes finally looked human in the fourth. He gave up two singles and hit a batter to load the bases. A wild pitch scored the Twins’ first run, but credit to Holmes, he settled back in and got a huge out on a fly ball to center, where Michael Harris made a great running catch to end the threat.

The fifth inning was even dicier. A walk, a double by Buxton, and another walk loaded the bases with one out. Holmes, though, went into damage control mode. He struck out Larnach on a 95 mph fastball, then got Carlos Correa to ground one to Nick Allen, who turned the force at second. It wasn’t easy, but Holmes once again showed grit when it mattered most.

Ozuna Adds On, Bullpen Locks It Down

Marcell Ozuna led off the bottom of the fifth with a blast of his own, his fourth homer of the year, and pushed the lead back out to 6-1. The bats cooled off after that, but the damage had already been done.

Holmes came back out for the sixth and worked around a walk and an error (the Braves’ first of the season) to finish his day. He gave Atlanta exactly what they needed: 5.2 innings, one run, four hits, four walks, and seven punchouts. He got into a few jams, sure, but worked out of them like a guy who’s earned a spot on this roster.

Enyel De Los Santos handled the rest of the sixth and the seventh, though he did give up a solo homer to Buxton, one of the only bright spots for Minnesota on the afternoon. After that, it was lights out.

Pierce Johnson took over in the eighth and didn’t blink. He stayed on to close it in the ninth and retired all six batters he faced, slamming the door on a 6-2 win and a series sweep.

Sweep Over Twins - Cardinals Next

Atlanta improves to 8-13 and finally put together a full weekend of solid baseball. The Braves will look to carry this momentum into their next series as the St. Louis Cardinals come to town for three, starting Monday night at 7:15 PM EDT on the FanDuel Sports Network.

Takeaways

• Grant Holmes showed resilience. He had command issues at times, but he fought through it. That’s the kind of start you want to see from a young guy, working around traffic and limiting damage.

• The offense did real work with two outs. five of the six runs came after two were away. That’s a big-time shift from earlier in the season when rallies just weren’t happening.

• Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna continue trending up. The middle of the order is starting to feel more dangerous, and that changes everything.

• Drake Baldwin keeps impressing. A home run at home, more confident at-bats, and good work behind the plate. He’s growing quickly.

• The bullpen remains a strength. Johnson, De Los Santos, and the rest of the pen continue to answer the bell, even with a heavy workload this week.