The Braves’ offense waited a little too long to wake up on Wednesday.
After they managed just two runs in the first 16 innings against a San Francisco Giants pitching staff which entered the day 22nd in ERA (4.52), they found themselves in a 7-2 hole entering the ninth inning staring down another series loss.
Although delayed, the awakening was real for Atlanta’s bats, plating three runs with one out to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth, as Mauricio Dubon hit a two-run homer after two previous
flyouts to the warning track and another run came across on a wild pitch.
But Ozzie Albies grounded out and Austin Riley struck out, bringing the comeback bid up short in a 7-5 loss which completed what was essentially a doubleheader sweep after the majority of Tuesday’s 7-2 loss was played on Wednesday afternoon.
Dubon’s homer prevented the fifth time in the last six the Braves have scored three or fewer runs. But the Braves were unable to avoid their second three-game losing streak in the last seven games after they had just one through the first 66 games of the season.
Not to pile on, but it also clinched the Braves’ third straight series loss after they dropped just two of their first 21 series this season.
They had chances throughout, as they were set down in order just twice in nine innings and put the leadoff runner on base five times while outhitting the Giants 12-9
But they couldn’t convert frequently enough, finishing 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranding nine runners.
That only hit with RISP before the Braves were in a 7-2 hole in the ninth inning came from Riley. He led the offensive effort with his first three-hit game since Opening Day and broke a 13-inning shutout streak with his sixth-inning RBI single. Dominic Smith plated the other in the sixth on a sacrifice fly.
Along with Riley, the rest of the middle of the lineup did much of the lifting as Matt Olson and Albies, the two hitters ahead of Riley, had three and two hits, respectively, while Eli White, hitting after Riley, had one as well.
Jair Camargo, called up as the 27th roster member for the doubleheader nightcap, had a ninth-inning double which was his first career major league hit in his Braves debut.
Until it was basically too late, the offense didn’t do much to help JR Ritchie in his return to the starting rotation. Now, it bears mentioning the rookie didn’t exactly help himself early in his outing.
Rafael Devers gave San Francisco a 1-0 lead in the first with a two-out RBI single to left.
The wheels then really came off in the second, when he allowed three home runs. Willy Adames led off the inning with his second homer in as many games. After a walk of nine-hole hitter Eric Haase, Luiz Arraez followed with a two-run homer. Bryce Eldridge came up next and he also homered off the fellow rookie, who was tagged for five runs on five hits over the first two innings.
The nature of the pitching staff after a bullpen game to begin the day meant that Ritchie had to wear his struggles. Thankfully for him, he steadied himself well after the very rocky start. After a leadoff walk and wild pitch to begin the third, Ritchie retired the final nine batters he faced, working through five innings with no more runs allowed.
Carlos Carrasco, called up before the second game of the day, threw the final four innings, starting with three shutout frames before he was tagged for two runs which wound up being PRETTY IMPORTANT in the ninth on a two-run single by Arraez, who had a four-RBI game.
The Braves will look to salvage a game from this series and avoid being swept by the team with the second-worst record in the National League in Thursday’s series finale. There’s a big asterisk on that one, though, as the forecast looks…rough.
If it happens, Atlanta’s Martin Perez (5-3, 2.90 ERA) is slated to start against Landen Roupp (5-7, 4.24) for the Giants.
