It’s not unreasonable to fear after last night’s heroics and scoring outbursts by the Braves middle order that to expect the same again was pushing it. We did indeed lose this game, late, having been ahead for most of the time and you could say, looking back, we asked for the trouble that was to end up defeating us.

Julio idiotically walked the first batter who of course scored. Acuna took care of that in a hurry with his 14th and for a long time the score was deadlocked at 1-1 and it was here we let the game get away. We got one more in the fourth to lead 2-1 but that was the last of the offense that had been so productive 24 hours earlier.

Miley had been ok but hardly overwhelming going 6 innings, giving up just the two scores. Julio’s final departure also came after 6 but much more controversially. After his bad start he had poor control for another innings or so but then fell into a good groove which never left him. So Verducci was quick to question his departure and events were to prove him correct. Julio’s final line was 6 IP 2H 1 R 2BB 6 K. Pretty darn good and not what you would have predicted early at all. He had thrown 90 pitches 52 of which were strikes. But we were still leading, weren’t we.

Anyway JT’s departure after 90 pitches proved the turning point in the game. On came Brach who had no trouble pitching a scoreless seventh, Biddle, who followed him, was another matter. What started with an error between he and Freddie covering first on an infield squibber ended with just one out, 3 runs in on 3 hits, and a 2-1 lead turning into a 4-2 deficit which ended up being the final score. Winkler came in to bale out Biddle and Jackson did a perfectly good job of handling the ninth.

After all that we still had 6 outs to spend to bridge that 2 run gap. But they had Hader and he pretty much mopped up, Neck offering the only serious resistance with a great at bat.

 

MISC.

Lorenzo Cain can sure run the bases heading for home. He got hilariously picked off first later and thoroughly enjoyed the run down melee.

Verducci spoke at length about Dansby’s hitting woes and offered various suggestions none of which i can now remember an hour later. Anyone?

Of all people Braun made the defensive play of the game, late, going full length in the air, several feet it seemed, to catch a slicing line drive from Neck which might have brought home two.

One home run all evening in the game. Tom V says Acuna loves the slow stuff.

Till the morrow and a series win, our two bastard cousins already did.