In a weird extra-inning game, Eli Whitewashed the Jays and the Braves won Sunday afternoon, 4-3. The Braves are 78-65.
Eli White has spent most of the year at AAA Gwinnett and was thrust into action here Sunday afternoon. The veteran outfielder was a defensive replacement for Jorge Soler and went 2-for-2, eventually scoring the winning run.
Here are the deets
Let’s get to it. After the Blue Jays took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th, White led off the bottom half. Michael Harris II was the Manfred-Man for the Braves, and Eli laid down a perfect bunt, EV of 30.1 mph, giving the Braves men on the corners with nobody out.
Another replacement strode to the plate. Adam Duvall was called on to pinch run earlier for Marcell OHzuna, and now had to step into the batter’s box. Duvall dribbled one down the third baseline at 73.4 mph. It wasn’t hit hard enough to double him up, and an errant throw made him safe. Not only that, but Harris scored the tying run on the play, and White and Duvall each were awarded an additional base.
With men on second and third and nobody out, the Jays walked Matt Olson on purpose. Olson had previously tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on a sac fly, so Toronto figured it better to roll the dice with Sean Murphy. Like Duvall, Murphy rolled one to the left side of the infield at 75.6 mph, but White has blazing speed and got a great jump, giving the Braves the win.
Chris Sale made the start and was brilliant once again. Sale allowed just two hits and one walk in six innings of work. He also struck out seven and saw his ERA drop to 2.38. Unfortunately, Joe Jimenez couldn’t hold the 1-0 lead he inherited, and the Sale was not involved in the decision.
The win coupled with a Mets loss has the Braves in the third wildcard spot once again. Cincinnati comes calling tomorrow and Uncle Charlie Morton takes the mound at 6:40 Eastern/5:40 Central.
Honestly, they got lucky leaving Sale in there. He nearly gave up an RBI double to tie the game; the last two batters he faced, he was pretty clearly gassed. Snit often has a pretty good hook, but I wish he’d been a bit quicker to pull Sale. We certainly can’t afford for him to miss any time, and he was reaching back for everything he had for the last 15-20 pitches, including the five-pitch double to Kirk and the 11-pitch flyout he induced from Leo Jimenez, whose foul ball on the 10th pitch nearly landed fair.
But they got even luckier in the eleventh, as some terrible defense and some terrific luck led to two runs without a ball leaving the infield. About time the cookie crumbled our way, I’d say!
Baseball as funny. As bad as our offense has been, we’re only 90 runs worse than the Phillies over 143 games. Basically 4 runs per week. It is amazing how many runs even terrible lineups score.
Phillies are overrated. They had a sweetheart of a schedule for the first 3 months of the season. This built for October is hilarious because even thugh they wiped out the Braves, they did not win a WS. Imagine if half their team had the injuries we have had this year, they wouldn’t have a big lead. And their window is small because they gave out too many lengthy contracts to players who are already over 30. Window is short for them. If the Braves do not make it to the PS this year, I think it would be justified for the Mets to wipe them out this year. Not that I am a Mets fan, I just hate Philly worse
OK, but we are only 81 runs worse than the Brewers and 103 runs worse than the Dodgers who have the greatest player of all time.
Charlie is always going to Charlie
Watching Arcia swing at a 3-1 pitch two feet outside is so much the 2024 Braves season.
Wow – that double play that Urshela started was something. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by him.
This lineup is one of the lineups of all time.
Another Brooks Robinson-like play from Urshela. Definitely needed that DP.
Charlie’s been good since that debacle vs. Milwaukee. In 6 starts/33.2 IP, he’s got a 2.94 ERA.
Time to rack up some runs, fellas.
The amount of times the Braves have made a mediocre pitcher look like Cy Young this season is too many to count. We look disinterested yet again.
Yeah, who does this Martinez think he is, Austin Gomber?
Is there a word in the glossary/canon for this phenomenon? If not, Gombering/getting Gombered might be a good candidate.
Trying to steal third with 2 outs should earn you an immediate tasing from your third-base coach.
I’d be happy to take up a collection to pay his fine. It’s one of the nicest things anyone’s done for us all month.
I didn’t expect Soler to be Roberto Clemente, but I figured he would be an upgrade on Duvall. He has not been.
Guy has thrown a first pitch get me over breaking ball to almost every hitter, and we haven’t ambushed. I don’t think anyone in the dugout is even watching the game.
Yeah, it’s like some nights we act like we don’t even want to be there and it’s the middle of a pennant race. It’s absolutely maddening to watch
Pathetic
I know some of this is due to the tinkering by MLB with the baseballs, but this is still pathetic.
Well, that sucked.
The Good News: Bottom of the 7th, Toronto has gone ahead of the Mets 2-1.
Not for long. Blue Jays gonna Blue Jay.
Edit: there it is. Wild pitch.
Edit #2: and there’s the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
This team is missing the playoffs. Just accept it.
No more watered down television crap!
No more whinin’!
No more sulkin’!
No more nothing!
Hey all, I’m sorry I didn’t get to a game thread last night. Family stuff again. I’ll be good to go until Friday when I have to travel again.
The Braves are very much alive in the Wild Card. The Padres only have the top spot by 1.5 games right now, and the Braves are 1.0 out of the third spot, so the whole WC spread is just 2.5 games right now.
That could change this weekend if the Dodgers handle them, but right now, missing the playoffs is far from certain.
Now, how far would they go? With this offense, I couldn’t see them winning a series, but it would be a hell of an accomplishment just to make the playoffs this year.
recap coming in about a half hour. Will title it “game thread” as well. Sorry. Had to start out of town in a courthouse today.