Chris Sale pitched 5 2/3 strong innings, Ronald Acuna Jr. provided the offense with a home run and the Atlanta Braves closed the season with a 4-1 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
Atlanta (76-86) salvaged a game in the three-game series. Pittsburgh (71-81) won the season series against the Braves 4-2.
Sale entered the game with one out in the second inning. He approved the idea of coming out of the bullpen to give 41-year-old veteran Charlie Morton, a former Brave, what is expected to be the final start of his career.
In his first appearance out of the bullpen since 2012, Sale (7-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits and two walks, with nine strikeouts.
Tyler Kinley pitched a scoreless eighth and Raisel Iglesias worked a perfect ninth to earn his 29th save.
Ronald Acuna Jr. got the Braves on the board in the first inning with a two-run blast that traveled 451 feet deep into the bleachers in left-center field. It was the 21st homer for Acuna.
Morton, signed by Atlanta after he was released by Detroit this week, pitched 1 ? scoreless innings and left after striking out Alexander Canario on a curveball, the signature pitch of Morton’s career. He departed to an extended standing ovation after what is expected to be the final appearance of his 18-year career.
Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo (2-1) pitched five innings and allowed two runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Pittsburgh got its run in the sixth on an RBI single by Joey Bart.
Atlanta added two insurance runs in the eighth. Matt Olson singled in a run and scored when Jared Triolo made a bad throw to first base.
Morton became the 71st player used by the Braves this season, breaking the MLB record of 70 set by Miami in 2024 and matched by Baltimore this season. Morton was the 46th pitcher used by the club.
