Acuna blasts third straight leadoff homer against Marlins

Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna became the second player in history to hit a leadoff homer in three straight games as the Braves defeated the Miami Marlins 10-6 on Tuesday. The 20-year-old from Venezuela also became the youngest player in Major League Baseball history to hit a home run in five consecutive games. The only other player under the age of 21 to homer in four straight games was Miguel Cabrera in 2004. In the bottom of the first inning on Tuesday night, Acuna sent the first fastball pitch he saw from Miami pitcher Trevor Richards over the left-field fence. He thus joined Brady Anderson as the only players to hit leadoff homers in three straight games. Anderson did it in four straight games for the Baltimore Orioles in April 1996. Acuna's leadoff homer on Tuesday followed similar dingers in both games of a Monday doubleheader against the Marlins. He added another home run in the seventh inning in Tuesday's victory for his 19th of the season. Acuna, who has five leadoff home runs this season, is making a bid to be the National League's top rookie. He is hitting .352 since moving to the top of the batting order after the all-star break.