ATLANTA >> Alex Verdugo, making his second start as Atlanta’s left fielder and leadoff hitter, had four hits that included a go-ahead single in the sixth inning, and the Braves beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 on Saturday night for their first back-to-back wins of the season.

Verdugo was recalled on Thursday to help boost a slumping offense after signing a $1.5 million, one-year contract on March 20. He had two doubles and scored two runs.

The Braves (7-13) have won the first two games of the series against Minnesota (7-14) as they try to recover from an 0-7 start. Atlanta has won 10 consecutive games against the Twins dating to 2019.

Twins right-hander Justin Topa, making his first big league start following 102 relief appearances, allowed one run in one inning.

Minnesota rookie Luke Keaschall, who had two hits in his major league debut on Friday night, delivered a run-scoring double off Chris Sale in the first. Sale allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Carlos Correa’s leadoff homer off Sale in the fourth was his first of the season.

Twins right fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. left the game in the fourth with a left hand contusion.

Pierce Johnson (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning. Raisel Iglesias earned his fourth save with a perfect ninth.

Key moment

Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (1-2), who replaced Topa, faded in the sixth when he lost a 3-2 lead. Michael Harris II led off with a homer that carried 446 feet to right field. Richardson gave up two singles before Brock Stewart gave up Verdugo’s single to right field that gave Atlanta the lead.

Key stat

Verdugo has a .357 career batting average against the Twins (40 for 112).

Up next

In a matchup of right-handers, Minnesota’s Joe Ryan (1-1, 2.45) will face Atlanta’s Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.78) in Sunday’s finale of the interleague series.

Twins activate Stewart

The Twins activated reliever Brock Stewart prior to Saturday’s game. The right-hander has been one of the team’s best pitchers since he signed as a minor league free agent in 2022 but has spent more time on the injured list than on the mound.

This time, it was a left hamstring strain suffered during spring training that put him on the 15-day IL. He made two appearances with Class A Fort Myers before returning to the major league roster. To make room, the Twins optioned left-hander Kody Funderburk to Class AAA St. Paul.

Stewart, 33, is 2-0 with a 2.28 earned-run average in two seasons with the Twins but has pitched only 43? total innings. He has been on the 60-day IL three times, twice with shoulder injuries and once with an elbow injury. Last season, he pitched only 15? innings because of a right shoulder strain.

In two appearances this season, Funderburk allowed two runs in four innings on three hits and a walk. He struck out five.

Stewart pitched two-thirds of an inning Saturday against Atlanta, allowing one hit and notching one strikeout.

— Staff reportw