Dominic Smith homered and Jorge Mateo collected four hits as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 13-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on April 12.
Atlanta starter Chris Sale (3-1) pitched six solid innings. The left-hander scattered eight hits, gave up one run, walked one and struck out six as the Braves won two of three games from the Guardians. Atlanta is the only team in Major League Baseball that hasn’t lost a series this year.
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The Braves pounded out 19 hits as second baseman Ozzie Albies was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Center fielder Mauricio Dubon was 3-or-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Apr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Apr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Apr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Fans take pictures outside before the start of the home opener Cleveland Guardians game the against Chicago Cubs, April 3, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Fans mingle outside before the start of the home opener Cleveland Guardians game against the Chicago Cubs, April 3, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Graham Veysey and his daughter, Red Clark Veysey, 5, spend their fifth opening day together before the opening Guardians home game against the Chicago Cubs, April 3, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Guardians vs. Cubs, Cleveland home opener photos
Apr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez walks off the field during batting practice before the game between the Guardians and the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field.
Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr had two hits and an RBI and third baseman Austin Riley also cranked out two hits, with a run and two RBIs.
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-2) was saddled with the loss. He lasted 4⅔ innings and gave up eight runs, 11 hits and one walk while fanning four.
Atlanta took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on three straight hits with two outs. Mike Yastrzemski walked and Albies singled. Dubon’s RBI double into left center field put Atlanta up 1-0.
Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) and shortstop Jorge Mateo (2) celebrate after the Braves defeated the Cleveland Guardians on April 12, 2026, in Cumberland, Georgia.
Mateo’s RBI single scored Dubon, and Mateo later scored all the way from first on Acuna’s RBI double down the left field line for a 3-0 advantage.
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The Braves started to pour it on in the fourth inning. Albies singled and scored on Smith’s home run, which pushed the lead to 5-0.
Atlanta tacked on four runs in the fifth. Albies chased Bibee from the game with an RBI single up the middle and a 6-0 lead.
Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning on April 12, 2026, in Cumberland, Georgia.
Kolby Allard offered little relief as pinch hitter Kyle Farmer doubled down the left field line and plated Albies and Riley, who singled earlier. Dubon’s single scored Farmer for a 9-0 lead.
Cleveland got on the board with Rhys Hoskins’ solo home run in the sixth. Daniel Schneemann was 3-or-4 with two doubles for the Guardians.
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The rout was on as the Braves went up 11-1 on Matt Olson’s RBI double in the eighth. Riley’s double knocked in two runs and capped the scoring.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Rhys Hoskins hits home run, Daniel Schneemann 2 doubles for Guardians