Fresh off a sweep of the Twins, things looked good in Philly for a while Thursday, only to have the Braves suffer a brutal, 5-4 loss.
The Braves built a 4-0 lead on the back of two mammoth home runs from Matt Olson. They even weathered the storm of Charlie Morton walking four hitters through 5.2 IP. But, with Uncle Charlie eclipsing 100 pitches and having given up two singles in the bottom of the sixth inning, Brian Snitker had a choice to make.
Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto singled on either side of Bryson Stott striking out. Striking out Stott may have given Stott false hope in Charlie’s ability to deal with Brandon Marsh, though! Marsh lifted a 1-0, center cut curveball into left field that seemed to get caught in some sort of jet stream. Marsh’s shot traveled 382 feet and cut the deficit to 4-3.
Who is responsible?
Aaron Bummer was loosening in the bullpen, and I imagine Snit was waiting for the lineup to turn over to Kyle Schwarber. But here’s the problem. Marsh hits just .200 against lefty’s and has not homered off of one all season long. The gamble did not pay off.
That isn’t the worst of it, in my opinion. The worst of it was the pitch selection to Nick Castellanos an inning later. After walking Trea Turner, Grant Holmes retired Bryce Harper and Edmundo Sosa. Everyone knows Castellanos sucks against the breaking ball. Flash back to the last series and Schwelly made him look horrible against the breaking ball. But here, with a one-run lead, TdA called back-to-back heaters, the second of which was again center-cut. Castellanos hit it 107.4 mph some 417 feet to CF, giving the Philes the win.
The Twitter-verse went mental that this loss is on Snit. I get it. He rolled the dice with Charlie, but the pitch selection to Castellanos is the real travesty, in my opinion. Yes, hitters struggle to hit the Holmes heater, but don’t throw that guy two in a row.
Thankfully, the Braves get to turn the ball over the Reynaldo Lopez in game two tonight at 6:40 Eastern/5:40 Central. Nemesis Ranger Suarez is on the bump for the Phlies. It should be a great pitcher’s dual. Consider this your Game 2 thread, Braves Journalers!
Yeah, that’s a tough loss. Snit could have done better. But he’s not managing it like game 7 of the World Series, nor should he. And I continue to stubbornly say that I don’t really want to win the division. Make them take several days off.
Marsh is hitting .200 against lefties, but Weston Wilson is hitting .480 against lefties. Maybe Philly goes to Wilson there, so does one want Bummer against Wilson or Charlie against Marsh? Snit made a call, and it didn’t work.
I DO want to win the division, but if we can just drag the carcass of this roster to the 3rd wild card, I’ll be grateful.
Same!
Pierce Johnson is no longer useful
If you’re gonna give up a homer, solo shot with a six-run time is okay by me. I’m not gonna nitpick a laugher.
Great win. When you hit like that bullpen management doesn’t matter so much.
Has there been an update on Riley’s timeline? I just read Ozzie’s got pushed back.
Recapped