The Atlanta Braves took on the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon looking to win yet another series after only losing two series all season long up to this point.
Spencer Strider came to the mound to face Braxton Ashcraft who has an ERA of 1.77 in away games. Strider was looking to continue to develop his pitching coming back from a long recovery from injury. His biggest issue so far this season has been giving up too many hits and HRs, but other than that has looked solid.
In the top of the first inning
Strider gave up a leadoff single, but then settled down to pick up a strikeout of Brandon Lowe, arguably the best hitter for the Pirates this season, and then two routine fly out. In the bottom half of the first it appeared that the Braves did not care that Ashcraft has been excellent in away games. Ronald Acuña led off with a single, Mauricio Dubón singled to put runners on the corners with no outs, and after a Matt Olson strikeout, Albies hit a sacrifice fly to center to put the first run on the board. Dominic Smith then singled followed by a much needed Austin Riley double to make the score 2-0.
Yastrzemski challenged a pitch, but lost and struck out to end the first inning.
Outside of a walk to Cruz, Strider looked solid in the second inning. He struck out Endy Rodríguez on a pitch that was close enough to be challenged, and induced a ground out and fly out. In the second, the Braves could not keep the momentum going, Wynns in his first at-bat for the Braves grounded out, and then there were two straight pop ups.
The offense was almost exactly the same for the Pirates in the third. Strider was able to induce a line out and two straight pop ups. The Braves were able to plate another run in the third. Dubón continued his hot streak with a single and after another Olson strikeout Albies got hit by a pitch. Smith moved the runner over to third on a deep fly that Cruz had to jump for at the wall. Albies stole second for his first steal of the season and then Dubón was able to score on the bad throw to second. It technically was scored a steal for Dubón since he was running when the ball was thrown. You be the judge.
Riley grounded out, but the Braves were up 3-0.
The fourth is when things started to fall apart for Strider. He gave up a double to Reynolds to lead off the inning, then after a fly out gave up another double, this time to Nick Gonzales to make the score 3-1. He walked Cruz for a second time and after a strikeout got saved by Acuña when he gave up his third double of the inning but the speedy Cruz was thrown out at home. For the Braves in the fourth they were at the bottom end of the lineup and you can guess what happened, Yastrzemski, Wynns, and Kim were all sat down in a row.
Strider looked to till be shaken up in the fifth. He gave up a lead off single and then had a wild pitch to move the runner to second. He induced a ground out, but that moved the runner over and then Lowe hit a sac fly to tie the game at three. Fortunately, Strider was able to retire Reynolds via a fly out to end the top half of the fifth. We got to see some fun base running for the Braves in the fifth. Acuña led of with a single and after a Dubón strikeout, Matt Olson singled. Then Acuña and Matt Olson had a double steal. That was not a typo, Matt Olson had his second steal of the season. Albies then helped the Braves take the lead when he hit a sac fly to score Acuña. Dominic Smith then continued to add to his Braves legend status by smacking a two run home run to the opposite field to double the Braves lead to 6-3.
Riley then had his second hit of the night with a single, but Yastrzemski could not get out of his slump with a ground out to end the inning.
Dylan Dodd then came in to relieve Strider in the sixth. Strider ended his day with 5.0 innings pitched, three earned runs on five hits (three doubles), three strikeouts, and two walks. It was not his best outing, but certainly not his worst either. Dodd was able to strike out three of the four batters in the sixth with Cruz picking up his third walk of the game. Ashcraft was also relieved in the sixth inning, which appears to be the right move because the Braves were sat down in order.
Dylan Lee came in to pitch the seventh and struggled out of the gate when he walked Tyler Callihan who then stole second for his first steal of the year. Lee then settled down and after a hard hit line out, struck out two to end the top of the seventh. The Braves could not get anything going in the seventh with the heart of the order sitting down in order.
Tyler Kinley got the nod for the eighth inning in what could be considered a bit shocking, but he made it work. He got Reynolds to fly out, but then gave up back-to-back singles to O’Hearn and Gonzales to put runners on first and second with the tying run at the plate. He was able to finally get Cruz out on a strikeout that Cruz challenged and lost, and after a mound visit induced a fly out to end the top of the inning. Smith walked, but that was the only offense for the Braves in the eighth.
Raisel Iglesias came in to close it out in the ninth with a three run lead, and shocker alert, got the job done. He did give up a single, but that was it. We did have something we don’t see everyday happen. When Brandon Lowe was up to bat with two outs he got injured and had to be replaced mid at-bat. On a 1-2 count, Jhostynxon Garcia struck out to end the game.
In what is becoming common place, the Braves’ bullpen was elite and shut down the opponent. The Braves were able to put up six runs on a starter who had a 1.77 ERA in away games previous to today. Dominic Smith continued to show why he needs at-bats with two hits to include a HR and a walk. The Braves had four different players with two hits today.
With the series in the bag already, the Braves look for a sweep of the Pirates tomorrow at 12:35 pm EDT when Bryce Elder is scheduled to take the mound against Bubba Chandler.
