Jaffe: Braves’ Ronald Acuña makes history in doubleheader
From SABR member Jay Jaffe at FanGraphs on August 14, 2018:
Braves rookie Ronald Acuña has been on a tear lately. On Monday against the Marlins in Atlanta, the 20-year-old phenom did something that only three other players have done in over a century: lead off both games of a doubleheader with a home run. In the opener on Monday afternoon, the makeup of an August 1 rainout, Acuña clubbed Miami starter Pablo López’s fifth pitch of the game, a center-cut 93 mph four-seamer, an estimated 414 feet to center field.
Acuña later added a two-run double in that contest, which Braves went on to win, 9-1. In the nightcap, he hit the first pitch of Merandy Gonzalez’s first start, also a well-centered 93 mph four-seamer (jeez, kid, watch the tapes) an estimated 441 feet to center.
The Braves took that one as well, 6-1. With that pair of homers, Acuna etched himself in the record books.
Read the full article here: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/ronald-acuna-is-making-history/
Originally published: August 15, 2018. Last Updated: August 15, 2018.