In a series where 3 runs scored had proven to be enough, Austin Riley‘s 3 run homer in the 1st probably had the Braves feeling pretty good. Five more runs only solidified that feeling.
The Red Sox came into Sunday 28th in the majors in runs scored, and Grant Holmes was able to take advantage, lasting 6 innings, allowing 5 hits and a walk, and striking out 4. Reynaldo Lopez took over in the 7th after a 30-minute rain/hail delay and pitched 2 more scoreless innings. A 2-out double in the 9th off Tyler Kinley gave Boston their 6th run of the series.
Mike Yastrzemski went 2 for 3, including his 2nd home run of the season. He ended the series 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs, including the game winner on Friday. It would probably take 23 more seasons of series like this one for Mike to make “Yaz” a bad word in Boston, but hey, it’s a start.
I just found out from the recap of Saturday’s game that Buzz Capra has passed. JonathanF, ububba, and tfloyd shared some memories there. I doubt I got to see even 10 games live in Atlanta-Fulton County stadium, but one of them just so happened to be Buzz Capra poster day. It hung on my closet door for an amount of time lost to memory. The only image of this poster that I could find online was the one you see above from EBay. You can have one for $10.99 plus shipping, and hopefully the seller will accept this plug in return for me jacking his or her image. Vintage 1974 Atlanta Braves Pitcher Buzz Capra Poster – Still Rolled Up! | eBay
The Braves take the series 2 games to 1 to move to 32 -15. Atlanta maintains an 8-game lead over the Phillies, who have won 7 of their last 10. At Miami Monday, JR Ritchie and Max Meyer scheduled at 6:40 Eastern.
Nice memory of AFC and a nice recap. One of my best memories was the day after the fire when Crime Dog hit two dingers. Hard to believe that was 2 stadiums ago.
Unfortunately the Phillies have done a lot better than 7/10. They’ve won 15/19. Christopher Sanchez is on pace for one of the all-time seasons. Not that he wasn’t unbelievable last year. But he just pitched a 9-inning shut out against a Pirates team that had been hitting pretty well. Whatever the Phillies do, if they make the playoffs they’ll pitch Sanchez and Wheeler in a short series and be awful tough.
The Braves are on pace to win the division by 28 games, and we should expect that to narrow substantially and soon. If for no other reason than that it is really hard to play .681 over 162 games.
Sanchez is a master, but 25 for 25, I’ll take our’n against their’n.
Oh for sure AAR. The main problem the Phillies is their rotation depth. I wouldn’t bet on Luzardo continuing to pitch to a 5 ERA, but Painter and Nola have been real bad. Nola spotted the Pirates 6 runs early in game 1 before the Philles decided to outscore them 24-3 for the rest of the series.
On a much more trivial note, how weird was it to see two starters who both wear #66? It’s such an unusual uniform number for anything outside of Spring Training.
Congratulations… you have earned a section of next Friday’s recap on all things Uniform # 66
The one Buzz Capra game I saw in person in 1974:
https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1974/B08170ATL1974.htm
It was just before my 11th birthday & Buzz had one of his least-effective starts that season. A very young Mike Schmidt hit a bomb in the 1st inning & PH Tony Taylor hit one off Tommy House in the 9th to send it to extras. At least the Braves won it in the 12th (on a walk-off single by Dusty Baker).
The game drew 45,000+, which was pretty rare back then. That game’s big drawing card was a free baseball “autographed” by both Henry Aaron & Babe Ruth. Wish I still had that thing.
Pretty sure I was there too, as I had that ball for many years. Don’t know when I got rid of it. We didn’t go to too many night games, usually one or two Sunday day games a year.
That was definitely a Saturday-afternoon game.
After 47 G (29% of the season), the Braves are:
Pitching
#1 in MLB ERA (2.94 – 2.88 starters/3.04 relievers)
#6 in NL most K (409)
#8 in NL fewest BB (160)
#7 in NL fewest HR (45)
#1 in MLB BAA (.206)
Offense
#2 in NL Runs (250, Nats are 1st w/ 255)
#1 in NL HRs (66)
#1 in MLB BA (.265)
#2 in MLB OPS (.772)
#4 in NL fewest Ks (367)
#11th in NL in BB (141)… despite a big MLB spike in BB
#13 in NL in SB (22 w/ 10 CS)… no surprise there
Man, and this team is gonna get Waldrep, Schwellenbach, and maybe even AJSS back? Insane. Reylo pitching in blowouts.
I’d be happy with Dodd for Bummer.
And don’t forget about Acuna and Murphy.
I try to forget abut Murphy
JR’s curveball is nasty.
Somehow we got worse at SS by moving on from Nick Allen.
Just put Dubón back out there. Not that it would help tonight. J.R. hasn’t quite gotten there when it comes to minimizing damage.
If somebody can, can you please handle this recap? I have to start at a doctor tomorrow and am getting ready for a funeral.
I’ll take it, cliff.
I am not sure if anyone would trade us a couple of Krystals for Aaron Bummer, but I’d call that a good deal at this point.
Please, let this be the end of the Aaron Bummer Experience.
Bummer might be throwing his last 100 pitches for the Braves tonight.
I think MLB has cracked down on the fake IL stints so we can’t even do that with Bummer.
I think Ritchie will get himself optioned for a fresh relief arm tonight.
I wonder if Bummer is actually hurt?
Why only use Fuentes for 1 inning with him not being able to go back to back days?
Recapped, if anyone is left