ANAHEIM, Calif. (Interstat) — Grant Holmes delivered another dominant performance on the mound and Matt Olson’s three-run homer broke open the game early as the Atlanta Braves rolled to an 8-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium.

The win gave the Braves the series victory, taking two of three from the Angels and improving their record to 8-5. The Angels fell to 6-7.

Holmes, named the top star for Atlanta, continued his strong start to the season. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking three to earn his second win. He navigated traffic in a troublesome second inning before settling in to retire 13 of the final 16 batters he faced. This outing followed a six-inning, one-hit shutout performance in Arizona on April 3.

The most important sequence of the game came in the top of the third inning, turning a close contest into a comfortable Braves lead. After a solo homer by Jorge Soler and a bases-loaded walk had brought the Angels within 2-1 in the second, Atlanta responded immediately. With two outs and Drake Baldwin on first after being hit by a pitch, Olson connected on a line drive off Angels starter Reid Detmers that cleared the center field wall. The two-run shot, Olson’s third of the year, stretched the lead to 5-1 and shifted the momentum permanently in Atlanta’s favor.

The Braves had built an early lead with single runs in the first two innings. Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the game with a double and later scored on Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly. In the second, Austin Riley walked and came home on a ground-rule double by Jonah Heim.

Atlanta added two more in the fifth off Detmers, who took the loss. Albies singled and Riley walked before Mauricio Dubón lined a double down the left-field line, scoring both runners to make it 7-2. The Braves capped their scoring in the sixth when Baldwin singled home Michael Harris II, who had walked.

Detmers lasted just 4 1/3 innings for Los Angeles, surrendering five runs on five hits and three walks. The Angels’ offense, aside from the second-inning rally, was stifled. Soler’s homer was one of only seven hits for the home team. After the second, Los Angeles advanced only one runner as far as third base, failing to capitalize on a two-on, one-out situation in the seventh against Holmes and reliever Joel Payamps, who struck out Mike Trout to end the threat.

The Braves bullpen was flawless. José Suarez followed Holmes with two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Payamps recorded the final out of the seventh, and Sam Bachman pitched a perfect ninth to seal the win.

Acuña Jr. finished 2 for 4 with two doubles and a walk, scoring the game’s first run. Dubón drove in two runs, while Baldwin and Heim each added an RBI.

For the Angels, Soler’s homer accounted for half of their scoring. Jo Adell had three of the team’s seven hits, going 3 for 4. Angels relievers Brent Suter and Sam Bachman combined for 3 2/3 innings of one-hit, shutout ball, but the damage was already done.

The game time was 2 hours, 45 minutes, played in front of an announced crowd of 21,375. The combined score of 10 runs fell under the pregame over/under line of 8. Atlanta covered the spread as a 1.5-run favorite, outperforming a Interstat game simulator projection that had forecast a 5-4 Braves victory.

Atlanta now returns home to begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. The Angels head east to open a four-game set with the Cincinnati Reds, also on Friday.