PITTSBURGH (AP) Nick Gonzales drove in a career-high four runs and Bailey Falter carried a shutout into the eighth inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 11-5 on Friday night.

Falter (3-2) had a 20-inning scoreless streak over three starts halted in the eighth when Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a three-run home, helping the Braves avoid their first shutout of the season. The 24-year-old left-hander allowed six hits, striking out four and walking one in his first victory since April 23.

ā€œJust rolling as much as possible,ā€ Falter said. ā€œThings arenā€™t really going to change, I just want to get these guys (out in) three pitches or less, first-ball strikes, no walks and I want to get (our) guys back in the dugout as quick as possible. When we do that, good things like tonight tend to happen.ā€

Falter did that for most of the game.

ā€œHe did a good job,ā€ Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. ā€œThatā€™s a good lineup, and they can score fast, as we saw in the eighth. He did a really good job moving his fastball to both sides."

Gonzales opened the scoring by lining a two-out, two-run single to center field in the first inning. He also drove in two runs with a double in the sixth that extended the Piratesā€™ lead to 10-0.

Gonzales has 13 RBIs in 14 games since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on May 10. That is as many runs as the second baseman drove in as a rookie last season in 35 games.

The 24-year-old Gonzales said he is more comfortable in the major leagues now.

ā€œWhen you first come up, youā€™re getting your feet wet and thereā€™s a lot of new stuff that you donā€™t really know, but at the end of the day it is baseball and youā€™re playing the same game," Gonzales said. "Itā€™s obviously the highest level, so for me that was a big thing in coming back up. Got my feet wet and tested it out, seeing what I need to adjust and work on it. Those adjustments that I can make now, Iā€™m able to do it.ā€

Edward Olivares had three of the Piratesā€™ 14 hits and Andrew McCutchen, Connor Joe and Gonzales had two apiece.

Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run double in the third inning to make it 5-0 and Jared Trioloā€™s two-run home run to left-center increased the lead to 7-0. Olivares had RBI singles in the third and sixth innings.

Ray Kerr (1-1) gave up five runs and seven hits in four innings in his first major league start following 33 career relief appearances. The left-hander was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett Friday.

ā€œIf I get another start, youā€™ll see a different Ray Kerr,ā€ he said. ā€œIā€™m better than this.ā€

The Pirates bounced back after consecutive losses to San Francisco in which they blew a five-run lead on Tuesday and a four-run advantage on Wednesday. The Braves had won three of their previous four games, allowing just six runs.

Acunaā€™s three-run homer was his fourth of the season in 47 games. He hit 41 last year when he was the NL MVP.

Travis dā€™Arnaud added a two-run double later in the eighth to get the Braves within 11-5. Acuna, dā€™Arnaud and Michael Harris II had two hits apiece.

TRANSACTIONS

Braves: Signed INF Joey Wendle to a one-year contract and optioned INF Luke Williams to Gwinnett. Wendle hit .222 with one RBI in 18 games with the New York Mets before being released on May 20. ā€¦ RHP Darius Vines was optioned to Gwinnett after pitching the final four innings in relief of Kerr. A corresponding roster move will be made on Saturday.

TRAINERā€™S ROOM

Braves: RHP AJ Smith-Shawyer (strained left oblique) was placed on the 15-day injured list one day after making his season debut and pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs. The move opened a roster spot for Kerr. ā€¦ 3B Austin Riley (left intercostal strain) missed his 11th straight game and is not likely to play until at least Monday.

Pirates: Grandal (strained right groin) returned to the lineup after missing two games.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-1, 1.54 ERA) will face RHP Mitch Keller (5-3, 3.84 ERA) on Saturday. Lopezā€™s only win against the Pirates came on Sept. 24, 2016, when he helped Washington clinch the NL East title. Keller is 0-3 with a 9.97 ERA against the Braves in five career starts.

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