Drew Smyly threw 5 2/3 innings of 1 hit ball, and Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 100th career homer in the bottom of the 3rd to give the Braves the victory in game 2, and the series 3 games out of 4.
Smyly held the Cardinals hitless before allowing an infield single to Paul Goldschmidt. Luke Jackson relieved Smyly at that point, and after allowing another infield single to Nolan Arenado, Luke struck out Tyler O’Neill to end the 6th. Will Smith pitched a perfect 7th to record his 13th save.
The first game was all Cardinals as Adam Wainwright pitched the 7 inning complete game, allowing 3 hits and striking out 11, and St. Louis reached Braves starter Bryse Wilson for 5 runs on 8 hits over 4+ innings.
The Braves trailed 3 – 1 after 4, but after the first 2 Cardinal batters reached, Josh Tomlin relieved Wilson and promptly surrendered a 3 run homer to Goldschmidt to break the game open. In the 6th, Sean Newcomb swept up the broken pieces, lit them on fire, and threw them down a rat hole, giving up the final 3 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks.
Freddie Freeman stole home in the 4th on the back end of a double steal with Ozzie Albies, which was kind of cool.
The Braves got through the doubleheader using 5 relievers no more than an inning apiece, and have 6 fresh arms when they visit the Mets on Monday for 2 more. Ian Anderson and Jacob deGrom scheduled at 5:10, and Kyle Muller vs. Tobe Determined at 8:10.
So funny…and sadly true, Rusty:
“In the 6th, Sean Newcomb swept up the broken pieces, lit them on fire, and threw them down a rat hole…”
Hey, 3 outta 4. I’ll take it. (and go Hawks)
Thanks Scott.
Mark Bowman is reporting that the Braves have not announced in which order Anderson and Muller will pitch Monday. So Mr. Determined is carrying a heavier load at the moment than I thought.
If anyone would have told me that our only pitchers with ERAs under 4 as of June 20 would be Anderson, Matzek, and Jackson, I would have said we would be in trouble. If you told me Jackson would be the only reliever with an ERA under 3 and in turn under 2, I would have said you were smoking something.
I have to decide what to do with a doubleheader split. I’m good with 3 out of 4 and am continuing with my viewing boycott.
I want to apologize for holding the team back. But thanks, Rusty, for bringing me up to date.
@2 I’d sure throw Muller against deGrom and Anderson against TBD, if I had a choice.
Losing that first game means that 3/4 against the Mets will still not get us to .500. Need a sweep…….
3 out of 4 with the chance to shake up the division standings against the Mets?
It’s the hope that kills you
I would take 3/4 from the Mets.
I would take a split with the Mets.
Rob, you’re .11 away from not revving up your Venmo.
@9 What’s the bet again? I can’t remember.
Be happy winning two of four. A sweep is highly possible today.
@9 Is it that Smyly will have an ERA under 5? Then we have til the end of the year to determine that.
Hard to predict a win against deGrom, but he just left his last game after only 3 IP.
Also, believe it or not, we might see a little rain during Game 2 & perhaps tomorrow as well. These DHs could really stack up.
And how ’bout them Hawks?
@12 Yes. I suspect he will right the ship enough to be under it. He’s not terrible. He pitched very well yesterday.
Hey ububba @13 – – man, what a game! The Hawks are certainly playing with house money now.
This team is fun to watch. Sure am glad Huerter got it going last night.
@14
We shall see. Should Smyly write the ship, I’m down with a double-or-nothing on another bet. Fun to be financially rewarded or punished based on one’s own analysis.
RE: Smyly
In June, he has a 3.26 ERA in 4 starts. Tons of walks and tons of hits, so he’s definitely dancing through raindrops on the aggregate, though obviously yesterday’s start was much better. But for May and June, he has a 3.80 ERA, so aside from his glaring inability to pitch deep into ballgames recently, he’s certainly not been the problem in the rotation.
If Kyle Wright or Bryse Wilson could consistently pitch baseballs well — literally the only thing we’re asking them to do, easy right? — then Smyly could be a devastating reliever. The fact that we aren’t in a better spot having Soroka, Fried, Anderson, Morton, Ynoa, Davidson, Wright, Wilson, and Smyly under roof is either terrible luck, the work of a terrible organizational pitching philosophy, or both. In theory, we have 9 major league-quality starting pitchers who are making a total of about $32M, and we still suck. I blame everyone.
I’d be thrilled with 3 out of 4 from the Mets this week. Hasn’t JonathanF promised that his abstinence will yield 3 out of 4 for the rest of the season? If we play at a .750 pace from here on out, we will win 103 and win the division going away.
#15
Hard not to be a little giddy about these Hawks.
This is only the second time the ATL Hawks (first season was 1968-69) have ever reached the 3rd round of the playoffs. In 2014-15, they won 60 games, reached the EC Finals, but were obliterated by injuries & one of the greatest players of all-time. (I certainly didn’t have my hopes up for that series – LeBron was definitely not losing that one.)
Crushing Game 7 road losses to the Bullets (in ’79) and the Celtics (in ’88) also come to mind, not to mention disheartening flameouts to the Sixers (’80), Pistons (’87), Pacers (’94) & Knicks (’99). Longtime fans, like me, had become conditioned to temper our post-season expectations, no matter how well the season went.
So, after decades of disappointment in Hawks-land, this is really new territory. As surprised as I was that they overcame a modest 4th quarter deficit to win, I wasn’t completely shocked either. It’s just been that kind of post-season so far.
A buddy of mine in ATL said this Hawks team is like the ’91 Braves – unexpected pleasures galore right now, but a bright future after this year.
And he’s right: Just like those Braves, this Hawks team is exciting, young, fun & fearless.
I like this turn in a relationship, Chief and Rob. Y’all looking for an apartment yet?
Rob and I are like cousins who aren’t close and think they don’t like each other but when they meet once a year at the family reunion that each aren’t as bad as they thought they were. At the end of the day we have at least two things in common. We love the Braves and baseball in toto.
We’re also more alike than we are different.
New thread.
https://bravesjournal.mystagingwebsite.com/2021/06/21/a-shakeup-of-epic-proportions/