In the top of the first inning, Drake Baldwin homered again to give the Braves an early 1-0 lead over the Angels. Baldwin’s incredible sophomore campaign has been something to behold.
And that’s where the fun ended on Monday night.
Jose Soriano absolutely cooked the Braves for eight innings, allowing just the one run on three hits. He struck out 10 and didn’t walk anyone. It was surgical. Atlanta had no chance.
Chris Sale gave up a homer on the first pitch of the game to Zach Neto, and after settling
in a bit after that, he completely imploded in the fourth. The sequence went: hit by pitch, single, walk, walk, groundout, hit by pitch, single to make it 4-1. And in the fifth, Jo Adell blasted a two-run homer to extend the lead to 6-1.
Offensively, the Braves went down 1-2-3 in the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Mauricio Dubon hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth to make it 6-2.
It was a night to forget for the Braves, who have now last three in a row. After a 6-2 start, they are 6-5.
The series continues Tuesday night in Anaheim with Reynaldo Lopez set to face lefty Yusei Kikuchi.
