Bottom of the order leads Braves to series-clinching rout of Guardians

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 12: Dominic Smith #8 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images The reports of the Braves’ offensive demise were greatly exaggerated. A night after the lineup was blanked for the first time since last July, the Braves awakened with a vengeance, running away with a 13-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians to win their third rubber match of the season.

With the victory, Atlanta is the last team in the league to have not lost a series this season. Atlanta finished with 19 hits, its third game with at least 15 this season and the most hits a major league team has had in a game this season. Nine different players earned a hit, led by a 4-for-4 night from Jorge Mateo and three-hit nights from Ozzie Albies and Mauricio Dubon.

The Braves’ offense handed Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-2, 6. 38 ERA) the worst start of his major league career. He let up a career-high eight runs and a career-high-tying 11 hits.

It didn’t get any better when former Brave Kolby Allard came out of the bullpen for Cleveland as Atlanta tagged him for five runs on eight hits over three innings of relief work. The bottom four spots in the order played a big role in Sunday’s win, amassing a combined 12 hits and eight RBIs. Mauricio Dubon and Jorge Mateo opened the scoring with consecutive two-out RBI hits in the second before Ronald Acuña Jr.