ALL STREAKS MUST END: BRAVES LOSE;
MARLINS WIN.

Is the lead-in music for all mlb.tv broadcasts the same? I swear the Marlins pre-game shtick is the same as the Braves, only the stadium being erected is that thing in Miami instead of the Ted.

Here’s a cheerful thought: the Braves will not always suck. Someday we fans can aspire to mediocrity. There will be better days. We just saw two good ‘uns in a row. May we have three, please?

I like Preston Wilson. The Marlins color guy is coherent, speaks concisely and enunciates each word, and is neither Chip nor Joe. I also like Marcell Ozuna, despite his recent travails afield; and Christian Yelich is no slouch. I’d rather have Julio than either of them. Both? Call me. Let’s talk. Otherwise, Julio’s mine, and you can’t have him, Miami.

At game’s start, Julio looks every bit the ace. I sometimes forget he’s still a kid. And he’s a bargain. Teheran’s pitching well. If he stays healthy, we have ourselves a pitcher; but that pitcher’s throwing a ton of pitches in the second. Thankfully, he gets a 6-4-3 GIDP to end it. Chase d’Arnaud looks smooth at short and runs like a deer. Erick Aybar delenda est.

Brag on him, and Chase boots one. With two out, Martin Prado walks. Now there’s two on for Yelich, and Teheran can’t find home plate. Freddie Freeman’s good play on a hot shot down the line keeps the Fish scoreless through three. Runs, please.

Gordon Beckham looks good in a Braves uni. One thing: Gordo’s not Aybar (Delenda est!), but he hit like him to end the third.

Julio’s hurt! Whew! He’s okay. No, he’s not. Come on Snit-for-brains; don’t go all Fredi on us. You’re supposed to protect Liberty’s investment. Who’s driving this train? Ill looms.

Ozuna bleeds one in, and Jason Bour — a large human — walks. I worry about Teheran. Does no one care?

Derek Dietrich’s up. Herr Dietrich bloops one over short to load the bases, and Julio ain’t right. We’re doomed!

Nobody out, bases jammed, and Miguel Rojas
faces the worst Julio I’ve seen lately. This may be the ballgame. It may be Julio’s career too, if Snitker leaves him out there. Snit does, and the Braves don’t turn the 3-6-1 as Teheran doesn’t (can’t?) cover first. One run’s in, and runners are on the corners with one out.

But Jeff Mathis looks at a called strike three, so now only the pitcher stands between Julio and getting out of this mess with only one run scoring. Tom Koehler goes down on strikes and settles for a one-zip lead. Julio Teheran for the Hall of Fame! Great pitching, kid.

Okay. let’s get it back. Freddie comes close, but Yelich catches his liner against the wall in fair territory down the left field line. Jeff Francouer walks to bring up Nick Markakis. I like the
Greek’s chances. Woo-hoo! Neck doubles into the right field corner, moving Frenchy to third; and A.J. Pierzynski ties it with a sacrifice fly to shallow left. Yelich’s throw is abysmal. Adonis Garcia hacks but fails. One all after four.

Julio’s still pitching. I’m an alarmist; but Ichiro flies to left, and AJP catches another pop. I kid you not. That pain in the posterior Yelich’s next and bounces to Freddie. This time Julio covers. He makes it through five, but he’s thrown a gazillion pitches.

Braves fail, and we’re still at ones with Teheran still on the bump. Lo and behold, Rafael Furcal makes a cameo. Furky’s a bit heavier than playing weight — aren’t we all? — but he’s still better than Aybar (Delenda est!). Bour Hawg rips a double; and with one out, that old yaller jacket Herr Dietrich stung a gassed Julio with a long (432 feet) home run to right. The horse is stolen. You pitched well, Julio, but with this team, just well enough to lose.

After that we just waited for the last out. The Braves made some noise, but so did the Marlins. It never got close again, and our Atlanta Braves ended up on the short end of a 7-3 score.