Ronald Acuña Jr. stepped in for the Braves in the bottom of the first and the tone was tense from the jump. The first few pitches were tight and inside, setting off a strange interaction between Acuña and Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo. After the 2-1 pitch, Acuña barked toward the mound in Spanish, essentially asking if Oviedo was staring him down. Both players locked eyes and neither backed off, which briefly raised the temperature. The ump came in to settle things while players from both sides tried to calm their guys. Braves manager Brian Snitker got a quick report from second baseman Ozzie Albies, who explained it was just a misunderstanding.
Acuña drew a walk and made it clear he had stealing on his mind. He tossed the bat with flair, unhooked his gear, and looked pumped. Moments later, he took off on the first pitch but got thrown out at second by a strong throw from the catcher. The whole sequence showed a bit of edge, a bit of theater, and a clean defensive play to end the threat. Acuña brushed himself off, had a quick word on his way back, and the game moved on.