From tfloyd: My computer has died on me, so I need help in getting my recap posted. I’ve pasted in below my recap in hopes that one of you can get it posted for me. Feel free to put whatever title you’d like. Thanks so much!

Why is this night not like any other night? Among other reasons, for Braves fans, in a 5-0 victory over the Fish, we saw a starting pitcher pitch a complete game shutout, a feat that a Brave hurler had not accomplished since September 2022. Not only that, it was a “Maddux”, in that the starter tossed fewer than 100 pitches.

The starter in question is Mighty Max Varsity Fried, our own Pontifex Maximus.  He was nearly infallible, although I suspect Max might not appreciate the comparison to the Bishop of Rome, especially during Passover. I’m a fan of the current Pope, but I doubt Papa Pancho has had many outings as strong as the one Max turned in tonight.

Fried threw 69 strikes with his 92 pitches. He struck out six and walked no one (making 18 consecutive innings in which the Braves held them scoreless while issuing no bases on balls; I’m starting to think there’s a correlation between not walking guys and successful pitching). He gave up just three singles and one batter reached on an error. But he faced only two over the minimum, thanks to two GIDPs. Most impressively he induced 16 ground ball outs that actually accounted for 18 outs thanks to the double plays.

A skeptic may point out, rightly, that Fried accomplished this feat against a lineup unworthy of the big leagues. Two of the three hits were by Arraez, the only quality hitter in the lineup. Still, Max had command of all his pitches. When he does that, he can get anyone out.

On offense Travis d’Arnaud continued to rake, with a single, double, and sac fly RBI. Adam Duvall clubbed a two run homer, and MHII added two hits. Matty O continued his Oh-fer streak, but when even David Fletcher has an RBI hit, who needs the big boppers?

Indeed, it’s pretty remarkable that this team is 16-6 when RAJ, Riley, and Olson are each OPSing under .800. Those three guys will turn it around,’and when they do, this team could break offensive records that they set just last year.

It would be immodest of me to take credit for on field accomplishments. But I can’t help but note that I have now recapped the four Tuesday games the Braves have played. The starters’ ERA in those games is 0.33, thanks to 18 innings with just one run by Reynaldo Lopez, and these nine scoreless by Fried. I’m feeling a little pressure to keep this up.  I’m not sure who will take the hill next Tuesday in Seattle, but I’ll try to do my part.

Speaking of Lopez, he makes his first non-Tuesday start tonight, as the Braves go for the sweep. It’s hard to imagine him maintaining what ‘s done so far, but wouldn’t a shutout sweep be sweet against Pure Evil?