The Braves and Reds will tangle again shortly in the rubber game of a series that seems to have been played with a rubber ball. The Great American Smallpark has been a launching pad for the offenses and has worn out the bullpens in the first two games of the series.
Cincinnati is throwing righty Levi Stoudt. The 25 year-old righty has an 0-1 recording with a 10.29 ERA and 2.14 WHIP in two appearances this season. Charlie Morton will be on the bump for the Braves. He is 6-6 with a 3.71 ERA and needs to eat some innings today, even if he is given up gopher balls and plunking hitters. Let’s hope the good Uncle Charlie shows up today.
Murphy returns
Let’s also hope the bats stay hot. Sean Murphy returns to the lineup for the first time in a minute or two, which feels good and bad. Travis d’Arnaud has been sick with the bat, but it will be nice to have Murphy to slow down the run game. Here’s to Matt Olson and several others launching today.
Here’s the lineup for the 1:40 ET first pitch.
The marketing the Braves have done for the All Star game has been extraordinary.
For sure, Ryan. And the play by Olson and Murphy to cut that runner down and the plate was also pretty great!
Looks like Charlie isn’t going to give us the length needed today. 85 pitches and in a 4th inning jam.
Should make him throw 110-120 pitches for being so poor again today. SMH
As shaky as he was, Charlie is the only starter in this series to go 5 innings. You have to give him credit.
True…
Matty O is so hot right now. His OPS is approaching .900.
Thanks for obliging, Matt! 6-3 Braves lead…see if the ‘pen can hold it.
Stately, plump Buck Farmer.
His mistake pitches are the portholes of discovery.
When is Joe Jimenez EVER the answer?
Terrible pitch selection by Jimenez
Iglesias in a 1-run game, what could go wrong?
Lemme know when I can breathe. 🙏🏼
I am SO tired of the 2-strike hits. 2 in a row now.
WOW. Whew.
Uglesias. Again. Find a real closer, AA.
How many more times with this guy? He is sooooo bad.
Whew! I mean wow!
Indeed!
Had ’em all the way!
Meanwhile, in MetLand:
I think Buck is feeling the heat. Though I guess it’s not his fault the GM made some bad free agent signings.
😂😂😂
I love how this story is about “Metsing” without coming and saying it.
https://www.mlb.com/news/trea-turner-drives-in-winning-run-with-hit-by-pitch-vs-mets
Centuries from now, alien scientists will still be searching for how, chemically, to reconstruct the ethereal bliss that results from the Mets Metsing.
Winning 2 out of 3 from the hottest team in baseball at their place is huge. With no pitching, the Reds will eventually fall on hard times but they are a bit of fun to watch.
They are fun to watch. De La Cruz is a phenom, but McClain is legit good…5-1 against those guys is good, and 2-1 this weekend will do!
Culberson elected free agency instead of going back to Gwinnett. But I would say there is a non-zero chance they just sign him to a major league contract tomorrow to be the backup infielder/mascot.
Recap thread: https://bravesjournal.com/2023/06/25/you-can-breathe-now-braves-defeat-reds-7-6-to-take-wild-three-game-series-in-cincy/