Ronald Acuna Jr Becomes 1st Player to Achieve 30-HR, 60-SB

Ronald Acuna Jr Becomes 1st Player to Achieve 30-HR, 60-SB

01 September, 2023

LA (Associated Press) – Ronald Acua Jr. had a busy day: the Atlanta Braves player wed in the morning, hit a historic grand slam, and won the game against Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the late innings.

He wants to wait until November for the honeymoon.

Acua tied the knot with fiancée Maria Laborde in a quiet ceremony at a cottage in the foothills about 45 minutes away from the team’s hotel before guiding the Atlanta Braves to an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. The couple is the parents of two young sons.

Through a translator, Acua declared, “I didn’t mention anything to anybody.” “I’ve had it planned out for weeks,” the speaker said.

Snitker said, “Holy cow,” looking astonished. Sincerely, I’d be better off without knowing much of this, but congrats to him.

Acua became the first player to have 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a season with his grand slam, which broke a 1-1 deadlock in the second inning. Atlanta needed a potent offensive showing to overcome Betts’ two home runs.

Acua declared, “I feel very happy and special.” “I’m very appreciative, and I feel very fortunate,”

When Raisel Iglesias got the final out by striking out Kiké Hernández with two on, Atlanta maintained its 7-1 lead.

Snitker remarked, “That was some type of game. I guess it lived up to the hype.

Acua’s three hits helped the big league’s best Braves raise their record to 88-45 following their clandestine wedding. In the second inning of a six-run game against Lance Lynn (10-10), he hit his third grand slam with a 429-foot blast into the left-field pavilion. Acua hit his most home runs in a month, August, with 36 in his career. In the eighth inning, he stole his 62nd base.

Teammate Michael Harris II recalled, “He got married and became the first player in history to have 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases. “What a crazy day that was.”

Betts has a career-high 38 hits this season after going 2 for 4 with four RBIs, three runs, and two home runs. With two outs in the fifth, he hit an opposite-field, three-run shot to right, bringing the Dodgers’ lead to 7-4. Acua leaped to grab the wall, but the ball tipped off the fence because his glove was over it.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remarked, “It’s hard not to watch those two guys go head-to-head.”

The top two long-ball teams in the majors combined for seven home runs, accounting for 12 of the game’s 15 runs.

Betts’ flyout to deep right to start the ninth inning was followed by Freddie Freeman’s walk and Will Smith’s single, which put the possible tying and winning runs on the field. Max Muncy, however, flew out, and Iglesias recorded his 27th save in 29 opportunities, his 18th straight.

The Braves finished August with a 21-8 record, seeking to break the 1999 team’s 21-7 record for victories in a month during the Atlanta era. Atlanta’s record in the MLB increased to 88-45.

They are the squad that will undoubtedly challenge us and bring out the best in us, according to Harris. “We like to play to our full potential and like to, I guess, be challenged,” Harris said. It will prepare our thoughts for October.

The Dodgers’ four-game winning run was halted as they finished the month 24-5. At 83-50, they hold the NL West lead.