Braves vs. Blue Jays Game Highlights (4/14/25) | MLB Highlights

And this is a sight that Blue Jays fans will be seeing for many, many years to come. We've known it's been official for some time, but this was kind of the homecoming, the announcement here at home. A lot more questions for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He officially signed the contract. He said, I was born here, this is where I always wanted to be, this is my second home. The Easton Lucas, he's been one of the nicest stories this team has had so far on the young season, two scoreless starts. And now Lucas on the top of the hill, Ozzie Albies, the switch hitting second baseman. As this one gets going tonight, and it gets going with Ozzie Albies skying one near third base, in comes Ernie Clement, one pitch, one out. Austin Riley the batter. And a ground ball to short, up with it Bichette, and on to Guerrero for out number two. And there is ball four, two out walk. There's nobody on base, it's the first inning, you can't throw a ball in that situation. Let's see how he deals with Sean Murphy. This ball is struck well, out to left center field. Sean Murphy has left the building. Already four home runs in just his sixth game of the year. Two to nothing Atlanta. And the way this at bat went, sweeper and then change up, right? Staying away from the fastball obviously because Sean Murphy is red hot right now, but it doesn't matter. What a beautiful looking swing there. And he proves Easton Lucas is human here in 2025. The first runs and the first extra base hit given up by this left handed pitcher this season. And Grant Holmes takes the mound with a two nothing lead. Here's Bo Bichette climbing in for the first time. Grant Holmes, third start of the season, he went four in the first two starts. See if the Braves can get a longer outing today. This is a ground ball out to short, and that is Nick Allen to make the play one down. Just about everybody in the ballpark today knows the news. They're glad that he's staying home and he appreciates it. You know, it's an enormous contract. It's one he presumably could not refuse, obviously, given the amount, but his heart is also here. Both things can be true. Swing and a deep drive. Center field. Racing back Harris at the warning track, he makes the catch in dead center. Two down. And just a few feet shy of the wall. So two down and here's Santander. And an easy bouncer to Ozzie Albies. A Guerrero long ball to center, but ultimately a 1-2-3 inning for Holmes. First pitch to Eli White is smacked into the gap in right center field, and he's got a first pitch double in a game that the Braves already lead. So one down for Austin O'Reilly. O'Reilly's been on a mission here lately. That ball is hammered to left center. A second home run out there for Atlanta tonight already. Atlanta enjoying things north of the border right now. For Austin O'Reilly, he did a good job of getting to this fastball. Remember, we talk about how well this thing plays up in the zone. How do you attack a fastball when you have one like this? You've got to get your hands above the baseball and almost trick your eyes a little bit and tell yourself that it's going to be higher than you first see it. Great start for the Braves. Braves leading 4-0 into the bottom of the fourth inning as Bo Bechet digs in. Nine up and nine down for Grant Holmes. He's looking for his second strikeout of the game. 0-2 pitch, and he'll get it. Swung on and missed it, a slider, and he makes very quick work of Bo Bechet. One down. And for Grant, this one comes on the slider and a good one. Even though Sean Murphy was sent out further, as long as you're missing the strike zone and going below it the way he did at 86 miles an hour. And now Vlad Guerrero Jr. Liner, but Nick Allen reaching up to grab it. Two outs. The efficiency continuing here just five pitches into this inning. 0-1 pitch. Santander lifts one towards deep left field. Out towards the corner, Eli White. Shy of the warning track makes the catch, and it's another 1-2-3 inning for Grant Holmes. He has four of those in his back pocket. We head to the top of the fifth inning, 4-0 Braves. Two on here. Nobody out, and the top of the order about to come up for Atlanta. So they've had this run of good starting pitching getting them pretty deep into games, but right now Lucas is struggling. Ozzie Albies up 0-2, two pop flies. Ozzie down the left field line here. That ball is tailing, but it's going to be fair. Roden tried to get to it. He could not. Allen scores easily. White to third. RBI double for Ozzie Albies. This ball had some carry to it. It was a fastball. It sounded like maybe he got a little bit jammed. Just 82 miles an hour off the bat. You see a kind of reaction there from Ozzie. Austin Riley to the plate. 5-0. This ball is hammered. Is it another one for Riley? Oh, yes it is. What an absolute tank. It is all Atlanta. 8-0. Two bombs for Riley already tonight. Unbelievable here. Almost hitting that home run target that they have here in left field. Austin Riley jumping all over this slider. Not a bad pitch. You can see it on the inner corner, but Lucas knew it right away, and so did Austin Riley. He's to Lucas saying this is not happening to me in my first two starts. First base runner of the game for the Blue Jays. Lead off walk here in the fifth inning. Grounder to third. On to second for one, and just like that, Grant Holmes back to facing the minimum amount of hitters. Payoff pitch. Grounder. Olsen there. Holmes covering. Gave up the walk, but a double play and a ground out, and we are through five. Grant Holmes has fired just 51 pitches to get through five innings, and he's faced the minimum. Here it is. All Braves. 8-0. The Blue Jays don't have a hit yet. Miles Straw will try to change that. Next pitch is driven out to left field. Eli White ranging back at the warning track. Looking up. That ball's out of here. First Blue Jay home run for Miles Straw. A solo shot. The Blue Jays break up the no-hit bid, and they're on the board. It's 8-1. A guy who is really making his presence felt on this team and the opportunities he is getting. One down for Tyler Heineman. Swing and a miss. Curveball gets Heineman two away. Now, good-looking curveball here going straight down, starting what looks like in the inner third part of the strike zone and just disappearing right there. Back to the top of the order for Bo Bichette. It's 0-2 to the plate, and a reach and a miss and a slider. So, a great inning by Grant Holmes. Gives up the home run, but they go down in order after that, and he's faced just one over the minimum through six innings. So, one down in the bottom of the eighth, and now here's Alan Roden, who's 0-2. And now this is the longest outing officially of Grant Holmes' Major League Baseball career. 3-1 is hit off the end of the bat. A bouncer that's going to sneak through down the left-field line, a base hit. A pretty nice piece of hitting there from Alan Roden. Second walk of the game for Holmes. So, two on with one out. Mound meeting right now. The first time that Grant Holmes has really been in any trouble today. Nathan Lucas will be the batter. See if Grant can get through eight here. That might do it. Now, Lucas sprinting down the line, and he's going to beat it out. And it was just hit too softly. So, they are at the corners. Now, that's going to be it for Grant Holmes. What a tremendous job tonight by Grant. Seven and two-thirds, two hits, and he exits with the Braves up 8-1. Plummer, the former White Sox, deals home, and Heinemann smacks it down the left-field line, a base hit. In to score, Roden. Around second base, headed to third is Lucas. Heinemann into second. Lucas gets the wave to the plate. He'll score with a slide. It's a two-run double for Tyler Heinemann, and it's 8-3. Always feels good to contribute offensively when you're that backup catcher that plays sparingly, but Tyler Heinemann is finding a way every time he's in a ballgame to impact it. There you go again, and Bichette is down on strikes. 8-3 Atlanta after eight. Santander chugging for second. Again, strong throw into the back, but a headfirst dive gets him a one-out double. Two down with Santander coming to third, and the Blue Jays are down to their final out. This one into left field, and that's down for a base hit. Santander in to score. The RBI single makes it 8-4. It's just about getting on and not getting out. So now Alan Roden will try to extend the ballgame. Still playing. Now we're not playing. Swing and a miss. Ballgame over. Braves win. Atlanta gets up early with the power of the long ball. Win at 8-4, and Grant Holmes was tremendous tonight in winning game one of this series.