Max Fried pitched six strong innings to help lead the Braves to a series opening win over the White Sox. Tyler Flowers chipped in with a 3 run homer and his usual passed ball as Atlanta posted a 10-7 win.
The scoring started in the second when Josh Donaldson walked, advanced to second on a bunt single by Matt Joyce and scored when Dansby Swanson singled. Flowers followed that up with his 10th homer of the season for a 4-0 lead. Back to back doubles in the bottom of the 4th by Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman made it 5-0 for a working margin for Max.
And work it he did, striking out 11 through six innings. He gave up his first hit in the 5th, when Eloy Jimenez reached on a swinging bunt down the line. A walk advanced him to second and he scored on an Adam Engel single.
The Braves added on a run in the 6th after TFlo led off with a double, and went to third on a Fried ‘grounder.’ After Ronald Acuna Jr continued his recent ice cold slump by grounding to first, Ozzie picked him up with a two out infield single to score Flowers for a 6-1 lead.
That run proved to be important, as Fried came out for the 7th and gave a perfect demonstration of an Episode. A lead off single to Jimenez was followed by James McCann getting hit by a pitch. Fried was not helped out by his defense as Yolmer Sanchez grounded to Freeman who booted the ball as Jimenez scored. Snit came out and Luke Jackson was summoned to relieve Max. Flowers’ passed ball advanced the runners, but turned out to be of no importance as Wellington Castillo pinch hit and delivered a three run homer to cut the lead to 6-5. jackson settled down and struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.
The Braves did what they’ve done most of the year, adding on runs in the late innings. Donaldson and Joyce led off with walks, and two outs later Flowers walked as well to load the bases. Adeiny Hechavarria came through with the big two out pinch hit to drive in two for a 8-5 lead.
Shane Greene took care of the 8th, needing just 8 pitches to work through the heart of the Sox order. Atlanta added on two more in the bottom of the frame. Ozzie doubled to lead off (his 4th hit of the night), and FabFive Freddie singled him home, advancing to third when Leury Garcia, the leftfielder, overran the ball which rolled all the way to the wall. Donaldson worked his 4th walk of the game to put runners on the corner which set up perhaps the weirdest scoring play of the year.
Charlie Culberson pinch hit for Greene, as the pitcher’s spot had been double switched in the top of the frame. A shallow fly to right was not deep enough to score Freeman, but when Donaldson broke for second the right fielder threw behind him and he was caught in a run down. Jose Abreu chased JD to second and tagged him out. As he fell Freeman broke for the plate. Abreu threw toward home as he was falling, and the ball was cut off and the relay was late as Freddie slid in. 10-5 and things looked smooth, right?
Wrong. Anthony Swarzak came in and promptly messed the bed. He got James ‘The Lesser’ McCann to line out to Ozzie. But a walk was followed by the Braves allowing him to take second. One out later the Sox got back to back singles from Ryan Goins (with the corresponding defensive indifference) and Leury Garcia to score both the runners. Snit appeared to be a bit steamed as he summoned Mark Melancon to finish up, which he did, striking out Tim Anderson to end the game.
Atlanta looks to win the series tonight, sending Dallas Keuchel to the mound.
Well done, Seat Painter. Thank you.
Shane Greene continues to look like the guy we thought he was, and despite the three-run homer, Flowers hit into a bases loaded double play and had a runscoring passed ball. Drop him for Cervelli.
Thanks for the great recap, Seat Painter.
Max was awesome and has been great lately.
Ronald is colder than my ex-girlfriends heart.
Going to the see three games at SunTrust this weekend.
Keuchel tonight and Steve Aoki closing tomorrow.
Go Braves!
@2 agreed. Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut but his overall offensive and defensive production do not deserve to be on this roster.
Despite Flowers’ lackluster year, I can’t see him being left off a post-season roster. That’s not the type of cold blooded decision that Snitker would endorse.
He might wind up as the third catcher being Mac and Pope Francisco, but I would Be flabbergasted if he isn’t there.
@2 I’m likely one of the few that’d support carrying a 3rd Catcher in the postseason, but I’m totally in agreement with you about dropping Flowers. He’s fallen off in every aspect of the game. He’s not even a defensive catcher that can’t hit now, nor an offensive catcher that’s struggling on the field. So what are they really trusting him to do?
I don’t think the Braves carry a 3rd catcher this year in the postseason. That hasn’t been an annual thing since the 90s. They only did it last year because the bench was so bad and the backup catcher was also a top pinch hitter.
If there are no injuries to the 3 (and that’s a big if since they are old and brittle) I think Flowers does get left off the postseason roster.
Chip chirps about Culberson being the emergency catcher most broadcasts. Charlie isn’t tearing it up of !ate, but maybe he would suffice as catcher number three and Tyler could sit the postseason out. Maybe.
Acuña has the day off. Flowers is in the lineup — Cervelli must not be 100% yet.
https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/braves-catchers-healthy-for-pennant-race
Bowman talks about the catching situation. Also updates on O’Day, Neck and Ender.
@2
Shane Greene was due some regression as his ERA as a Tiger was downright fluky. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a good reliever, rather that he was likely going to actually give up runs at some point. We’ve now seen 9 straight without giving up a run and that’s pretty awesome. I think we will see a 3ish ERA from here on out and that is well above average in 2019 and something we as fans should be thankful for the rest of this year and next.
@coop @braves14
I’d bet good $ Snitker goes with 3 catchers in the playoffs considering all 3 can hit a bit. Carrying Hamilton as the trios legs is near a guarantee. In all likelihood, they’ll carry 7 relievers and 4 starting pitchers which will mean a bench of 6. My guess on that 6 is 2 catchers, Culberson, Joyce, Hamilton, and the hot bat in September.
Mac is smiling in heaven at what appears to be happening in Knoxville.
http://bravesjournal.us/2009/10/23/sec-picks-tennessee-hate-week-edition/
Sorry, Smitty.
By the way, tomorrow will mark seven years since Mac passed.
http://tinyurl.com/yyx2fhek
Wow that was a bad send by Wash, but Ozzie made it work
EDIT: Sal, not Wash
Yeah, with nobody out and Freddie and Josh due, that wasn’t a good idea. Got away with it.
Tyler Clutch
About time Ortega got some luck
DID I JUST SEE BILLY HAMILTON HIT A DOUBLE!?
Dallas Keuchel #loveshitting
Bottom of the order bonanza!
This is fun. Great atmosphere at STP. Go Braves
Our bottom half remains fearsome
The kid in the booth is probably better than Chip.
@24: LOL. Nice experience for the kid.
DK needs five infielders.
So is retaliating by purposefully hitting an opposing team’s batter extra stupid if they end up scoring?
Would be neat if Dallas could get some people out.
Wow. He was safe. Well, alrighty.
I do not feel awesome about Dallas starting a playoff game.
Chip sucks.
Keuchel getting BABIP’ed tonight. Gonna happen to “pitch to contact” guys sometimes.
Just joining game now; is Keuch really getting hit or just getting GBs no one fields? Last ten comments are giving me conflicting reports 🙂
Mostly the latter, although some have been squared up pretty well.
The balls haven’t been hit terribly hard. 7 of the 8 hits are singles.
The feed on game day doesn’t even have the double as a screamer, just right in the gap.
He’s not getting hit hard at all, I think. Just one of those games for him. He’s okay. He gave us the two runs back anyway.
Acuna is fun to watch in the dugout even if he’s not playing. He’s having more action than any of the playing outfielders today. Not much of a rest.
Woof
Unreal. Punch a dude out. Pitching to contact brings things like this
Was that an Episode?
You got this, Ronald.
JOSH DONALDSON, YOU MULLETED SCAMP
@43 You tell’em. He must be back next year. He must be back next year.
Return of Umbrella Man!
@44 Goodness, I hope so. I adore him.
Just win, Braves. Good on y’all.
Dodgers lose to the D’Backs. Braves are now closer to the Dodgers (4.5 GB) than the gNats are to the Braves (5.5 GA).
Muncy-less Dodgers are not so great.
@48 maybe the dodgers are tanking to avoid facing the nats in the first round
Recapped
@49
Too clever by half.