Sean Murphy hit 2 doubles, homered, and drove in 4 runs, and Ozzie Albies went 3 for 5 and also drove in 4 runs, as the Braves clinch the series win. Murphy doubled in runs in the 1st and 3rd innings and added a solo home run in the 5th. The Braves led 5 – 3 going into the 8th, but busted it open with 4 runs. Matt Olson and Murphy both walked with the bases loaded, followed by a 2 run single by Ozzie.
Bryce Elder allowed 8 hits in 5 1/3 innings, struck out 4, and was charged with the 3 runs. Jesse Chavez, Dylan Lee, Nick Anderson, and Kirby Yates closed out the final 3 2/3, combining to allow 3 hits, striking out 5, and walking none.
Vaughn Grissom added 2 hits to pull into a tie with Marcell Ozuna for 12th place on the Braves this season, with 3. Ozuna’s 0 – 4 dropped his season average to .075. (Rick Camp‘s career average was .074, Rusty wrote gratuitously.) Maybe Marcell will hit a home run on the 4th of July.
The Braves continue to beat up on last place teams such as the Royals, Nationals, and Cardinals, and remain undefeated so far in the state of Missouri. The Braves are now 10 – 1 against teams below .500, which is how it is done.
The Braves go for the sweep on Sunday at 2:10 Eastern; Kyle Wright and Zack Greinke scheduled.
How did Grissom look defensively?
Nothing remarkable comes to mind either way. There was a stolen base where I thought Murphy’s throw was on time, but he didn’t make the catch. Maybe some others could comment if they saw it differently.
Grissom just needs to play a serviceable / not-flashy SS for a bit. That won’t be the position he ends up with, but for now it’s what we need. Have to have his bat in the lineup. I think he’s got it…for what it’s worth. Similar to Riley. Be patient and you’ll see. Ironically he’d probably play 3rd a few years from now on any other team. Not ours though. So eventually LF is the spot.
Grissom’s had about 280 ABs above A ball now, and I’m as confident he is going to hit as one can be after that many at bats.
How did Elder look? it’s not a great line, usually that many baserunners get more runs than that. Were they hitting him hard?
He gave up 3 doubles, and another team probably would have scored more runs.
Elder this year and last has certainly demonstrated he can beat bad teams, which is a not un-useful skill. But his game against the Cardinals was impressive, and even though the Cardinals don’t have the record so far we may have thought, they are still among the league’s top offensive teams.
Nice to see Murphy and Albies showing what they can do, after a rough first week or two. And it’s pretty cool that Ronald can go 0-4 and still score twice.
And a couple of nice plays against the walls, I should mention.
Game thread is up. https://bravesjournal.com/2023/04/16/braves-vs-royals-game-3/