ATLANTA -- A three-game losing streak doesn’t remove all the momentum the Braves created while rolling through the regular season’s first three weeks. But such a skid can certainly remind you how quickly even the best teams can be humbled.  

Kyle Wright surrendered a pair of two-run homers in the sixth inning and the Braves weren’t able to recover in a 6-3 loss to the Astros on Saturday night at Truist Park. Atlanta has lost three straight games since claiming an eighth straight win on Tuesday in San Diego.  

“We knew it would be a tough series coming in,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s been every bit what I expected. That’s for sure.” 

The Braves squandered the four-run first inning they produced in Friday night’s series opener. This latest setback was marred by the two homers Wright allowed in the sixth, a couple Vaughn Grissom errors and more futility from Marcell Ozuna.  

Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s loss:

Frustrating conclusion:
Wright was heading toward a second solid start before allowing two-run home runs to Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker in the sixth inning. The Braves right-hander received an expected result when he hung a curveball that Alvarez hit 414 ft. into the second level of the restaurant beyond the right field wall.  Tucker managed to barrel a curveball that was under the strike zone, but in the middle of the plate. 

“It just comes down to I’ve got to finish,” Wright said. “I knew that sixth inning was likely to be my last. So, you’ve got to know when it’s time to empty the tank and find a way to finish. I think I did a poor job of finishing.”  

Wright began the season on the injured list because he had to make up for the time he lost in January, when he rested for three weeks after getting a cortisone injection in his right shoulder.  His shoulder has felt fine in each of the three starts he’s made since being activated. His sinker averaged 92.6 mph in his first two starts, and encouragingly rose to 93.2 in this latest outing. 

But he’s still got some room for improvement. This pitch averaged 94.4 mph as he produced MLB’s only 20-win season last year. 

“There’s not a whole lot of super exciting things about losing for me,” Wright said. “But it was another good step in the right direction. The harder you throw, the harder it is to hit, usually. I just need to continue moving in that direction.”

How long can they stick with Ozuna?
Ozuna was showered with loud boos before each of his three hitless plate appearances on Saturday. The veteran designated hitter is now 4-for-51 with two homers, one double, seven walks and 15 strikeouts. To put this in perspective, Braves outfielder Eddie Rosario was 3-for-44 when it was determined he needed to undergo eye surgery last year.

Ozuna entered this season still owed approximately $37 million over the final two years of his contract. It made sense for the Braves to give him one more shot this year. He created some cautious encouragement with the .854 OPS he produced in 59 Spring Training plate appearances. But he’s spent this season’s first few weeks showing his .687 OPS last year might not have been a fluke. 

The Braves primarily used Ozuna as their designated hitter against left-handed pitchers. His role could further diminish once Michael Harris II and Travis d’Arnaud return from the injured list. Both were just cleared to start taking batting practice on Saturday. 

But can the Braves afford to keep playing Ozuna in the meantime? 

“You hope at some point, he’s going to square up a few balls and get on a run,” Snitker said. “We’d like it sooner than later.”

Instant excitement:
Ronald Acuña Jr. is 13-for-20 with four doubles, one homer and four stolen bases in the first inning. He recorded two of those steals during Saturday’s first inning and added one more in the seventh to give him the first three-steal game of his career.  

It’s remarkable to think Acuña has had a leadoff hit in 13 of the Braves’ first 21 games. But his contributions went for naught as Sean Murphy’s solo homer in the fourth and Ozzie Albies’ two-run homer in the sixth accounted for the Braves’ only runs. Atlanta has scored in just three of 27 innings going back to the start of Wednesday’s series finale in San Diego.