Ronald Acuna Jr. gets married, then hits grand slam to become MLB's 1st 30-HR, 60-SB player
Acuna wed fiancee Maria Laborde in small ceremony before Atlanta's win over the Dodgers
Ronald Acuna Jr. had a full day: The Atlanta star got married in the morning, hit a landmark grand slam and ended the night beating NL MVP rival Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He hopes to postpone the honeymoon until November.
Before leading his team over the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7 on Thursday night, Acuna wed fiancee Maria Laborde in a small ceremony at a house in the mountains about 45 minutes from the team's hotel. The couple have two young sons together.
"I didn't mention anything to anybody," Acuna said through a translator. "It's something that I've had planned out weeks ahead."
"Holy cow," surprised Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "I'm better off not knowing most of this stuff, quite honestly, but congratulations to him."
Acuna's grand slam broke a 1-1 second-inning tie and made him the first player with 30 homers and 60 stolen bases in a season. Atlanta needed a strong offensive performance to overcome a pair of homers by Betts.
"I feel very happy, I feel very special," Acuna said. "I'm very thankful, I feel very privileged."
After Acuna's secret nuptials, he got three hits and helped his major league-best team improve to 88-45. He sent a 429-foot shot into the left-field pavilion off Lance Lynn (10-10) in a six-run second inning for his third career slam. Acuna has 36 career homers in August, his most in any month. He stole his 62nd base in the ninth.
"He got married and became the first player in history to have 30 homers and 60 stolen bases," teammate Michael Harris II said. "That's a pretty wild day."
Acuna is saving his honeymoon until the season is over.
"Preferably after the World Series," he said.