Braves beat Orioles 7-5 on February 28 as Strider debuts and late homers swing game
Atlanta’s spring win features Strider’s first outing, an eighth-inning power surge, and a late Baltimore rally
The Atlanta Braves defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-5 on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in a Grapefruit League game at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. Atlanta scored in four different innings and held off a three-run Orioles ninth inning that narrowed what had been a five-run margin.
The afternoon centered on the return to game action of right-hander Spencer Strider, who made his first spring appearance of 2026 as Atlanta’s starter. Strider worked two innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two. Baltimore’s lone run against him came on a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
Atlanta’s pitching line after the opener was built around short stints typical of late-February workloads. Left-hander Martín Pérez followed with two innings and surrendered Baltimore’s second run on a solo home run. From there, the Braves’ relief group stabilized the middle innings, keeping the Orioles quiet long enough for Atlanta’s offense to create separation.
How the scoring unfolded
Second inning: Atlanta opened the scoring with a two-run frame, taking a 2-0 lead.
Fifth inning: Baltimore answered with one run to trim the deficit to 2-1.
Sixth inning: Atlanta added a run to make it 3-1.
Eighth inning: The Braves broke the game open with three runs, highlighted by three consecutive home runs on three straight pitches.
Ninth inning: Atlanta tacked on an additional run before Baltimore’s three-run rally brought the final to 7-5.
The decisive swing came in the eighth, when Atlanta turned a one-run game into a multi-run cushion. John Gil led off the inning with a home run, followed immediately by back-to-back homers from Cal Conley and Chadwick Tromp. The sequence accounted for three runs in a span of three pitches and moved the Braves in front 6-2.
Late pressure, but Atlanta closes
Baltimore’s final push arrived in the ninth with back-to-back home runs that reduced the gap to two. Atlanta still finished the day with 12 hits and played error-free defense, while Baltimore was charged with one error.
The result gave Atlanta a spring training win built on a mix of early scoring, a power-heavy late inning, and an encouraging first step for Strider as he begins his 2026 buildup.
Final score: Braves 7, Orioles 5 (Spring Training, Feb. 28, 2026).