Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. hasn't forgetten that Marlins pitcher Jose Urena hit him with a high-90s fastball last August. After Acuna homered off Urena on Friday night in Miami, he showed that he enjoyed delivering payback.
Acuna waited until his line drive cleared the right-field wall, but he eventually flipped his bat and pointed toward the Braves' dugout. He also said a couple things to the camera in that dugout after circling the bases.
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Acuna tried to downplay the revenge narrative when asked after the game, but it was clear to observers that he enjoyed his handiwork. From ajc.com:
“There’s not much to say, y’all saw it,” Acuna said with a smile, via team interpreter Franco Garcia. Acuna assures the spectacle of a bat flip won’t be his greatest work - “I’ve got another one lined up.”
Acuna had not homered against Urena in 13 previous plate appearances, but he has feasted on other Marlins pitchers during his one-plus years in the majors. The dinger Friday was his ninth in 25 career games vs. Miami.
"I didn’t want to walk him," Urena said, per the Miami Herald. "I had to give him my best. He hit the two-seam [fastball]. Good for him."
That level of success was seen as the reason Urena threw a 97 mph heater that struck Acuna's left elbow last Aug. 15. The benches and bullpens emptied in response. Urena was ejected and MLB later suspended him for six games. Acuna left the game but returned to action the next day.
Eight days after that incident, Acuna was hit by a pitch from the Marlins' Javy Guerra, but the benches stayed put that time.
On May 3 of this year, Atlanta pitcher Kevin Gausman threw behind Urena while Urena was batting. Gausman was ejected and later suspended for five games.
Acuna finished with three hits and three RBIs on Friday as Atlanta won 7-1.
