There was a real feel good story tonight in Chicago—a guy making his major league debut hit a two-run walkoff home run to win the game in the bottom of the 10th. But I don’t feel good at all because the guy who hit it was on the White Sox. As a result a very winnable game for the Braves got away.
For a team that has done little wrong all season, a lot went wrong tonight. After jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, the Braves failed to score again in regulation. Grant Holmes could not stand the prosperity of a four run lead, and left the game after 3.2 innings having surrendered 3 runs. Dylan Dodd held it there through the 5th, but with one on and one out in the 6th, Weiss turned it over to Cookie Carrasco. Apparently Lee, Fuentes,and Kinley were each unavailable tonight. Cookie gave up two hits in the 6th, but the Sox managed not to score. Thanks to great plays by Olson and Eli White, the last two outs of the inning were made a home plate. Cookie came back out for the 7th, and despite allowing the first 3 batters to reach, managed to hold them to one run. That tied it up at 4-4 but it could have been worse. When you allow 5 baserunners within a span of 6 plate appearances, and only give up one run, you are more lucky than good. Even so, I’d prefer good to lucky. The good relievers pitched the 8th (Suarez) and 9th (Iglesias) and held them scoreless.
The Braves never should have let the game get to extras. As Weiss said post-game, they needed to add on after the 4 runs in the first 3 innings. Indeed, the Braves had 12 hits on the night, along with 3 walks, a HBP, and a runner reaching on an error. But they left 10 men on base, were 1 for 11 with RISP, had two runners caught stealing, two thrown out at home, and hit into a DP. They managed to plate the Manfred Man in the top of the 10th, but could not score a second run when they has a runner on third with one out. Yet another runner was thrown out at the plate.
Still, they almost won it anyway. Iggy came out in the 10th for a second inning (he’d only thrown 12 pitches in the 9th). He got the first two hitters, but hung a changeup to young Braden Montgomery, who hit the memorable blast to win the game. It’s a huge moment for the kid, but don’t worry about Iggy; the homer just barely cleared the left field wall (apparently would only have been a homer in two other parks). Anyway, Iggy was going to blow a save at some point. These things happen.
I said a lot went wrong tonight. The worst was that RAJ is injured again. He left the game with a tight hamstring in the top of the 4th. Post-game, both Ronald and Walt said it does not seem as bad as the last one, but an MRI in the morning will provide better info.
Despite the loss, several things went well. Matt Olson homered in his first two at bats, and in his third AB he hit one to the top of the wall in center. Ozzie and MHII each had 3 hits. Remember in the offseason when we were worried that neither would be a productive hitter again? It’s nice to be wrong sometimes. And despite the blown save, we still have a terrific bullpen. It’s going to be even better when Carrasco gets released again tomorrow.
And here is the best thing about tonight’s game. This ain’t football. We play again tomorrow, and Chris Sale is on the mound.
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Last week when we played Toronto I listed some Canadian musical artists that I like. Y’all took the ball and ran with it, bringing up Canadian musicians, from wonderful to mediocre (or worse).
This week, facing the team from Chicago’s Southside, I couldn’t help but think of the great tradition of Chicago Blues, including Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, and Buddy Guy (who turns 90 this summer and is still touring). Electric Blues may be Chicago’s greatest contribution to music, but there are so many other musical greats from the Windy City. Thomas (not Tommy) Dorsey, the Father of modern Gospel music and the writer of the hymn Precious Lord. Soul/R&B of the 60’s and 70’s would not be the same without Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Although the hip hop pioneers and legends from Chicago don’t match those from ATL, it’s still an impressive group. I’m a pretty big fan of Wilco, who have been based in Chicago since they formed in the 90’s, and I’ll bet there are Smashing Pumpkins fans in our bar. When I was 14 I was a big fan of the rock group Chicago, but I eventually grew out of that.
Chicago native John Prine is one of the few songwriters of the past 60 years to rival Bob Dylan (and don’t forget his buddy Steve Goodman, who died way too young). Prine’s body of work is incredible.
His very first album contains a song that, modified just slightly, sums up the pleasures of our mutual Braves fandom:
When I woke up this morning, things were lookin’ bad
Seem like total silence was the only friend I had
Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down, and won
And it was twelve o’clock before I realized
I was havin’ no fun
Ah, but fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with a Braves ballgame smile
It don’t cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won’t you please tell my wife I’m not drifting downstream
No, I’m just tryin’ to pull for my team
Last time I checked my bankroll
It was gettin’ thin
Sometimes it seems like the bottom
Is the only place I’ve been
I chased a rainbow down a one-way street dead end
And all my friends turned out to be Miami Marlins
Ah, but fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with a Braves ballgame smile
It don’t cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won’t you please tell my wife I’m not drifting downstream
No, I’m just tryin’ to pull for my team
Well, I sat down in my closet with all my overalls
Tryin’ to get away from all the ears inside my walls
I dreamed the police heard everything I thought, what then?
And in my dream my team was bought by Steve Cohen Ah, but fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with a Braves ballgame smile
It don’t cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won’t you please tell my wife I’m not drifting downstream
No, I’m just tryin’ to pull for my team
Greetings from Barcelona, where I arrived a half-hour ago. Expect eccentric recaps from me for a few weeks. (As if I’m not eccentric enough already.)
I arrived in Barcelona at the same time as a prominent White Sox fan who lives in the Vatican. If I can arrange it, we’ll have a watch party for the game tonight, but I hear he’s got a busy schedule. Or that’s his excuse… I think he’s chicken.
As to the band Chicago. Once Terry Kath died, they became a very different, and much worse, band. If you haven’t seen it, take a look at his solo from 1970 on 25-or-6 to 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfouusHMdDc You didn’t abandon Chicago, tfloyd…… They abandoned you.
I went to Barcelona once and I’ve always wanted to return. It’s a fascinating place. Yeah, don’t let that Chisox fan beg out on you. If he cuts his homily a little short at La Sagrada Familia, he could pretty easily make it to your watch party by first pitch. I would hope he still has fond feelings for former White Sox Chris Sale—or maybe he considers him an apostate.
You’re right about the group Chicago. I still love the first two albums. I’m perhaps not the best judge of which acts stay good and which don’t. I tend to think everyone who was good during my high school years was never as good after that.
A gut punch of a loss, but it’s a lot easier to roll with a punch like this when it’s been out of the ordinary.
Freddie Freeman got career hit 2,500 last night. I think he will get 3,000 hits with 3 more seasons.
Iggy was in line for the win so his saves streak is still alive
Carrasco DFA’d for the 35th time, Kinley to the IL with elbow inflammation. Ritchie and Karinchak up.
I wonder what the plan is for JR. I’d imagine they want to keep him stretched out, which would probably mean Perez or Sherlocks to the pen.
Edit: So that explains Kinley not pitching last night. I hope Dylan Lee is ok; he had 2 days off prior to yesterday’s game but was obviously unavailable too.
My guess is that the Braves will go to a 6-man rotation for a stretch with no off days before the All Star Break. Also, I think the elevation of Karinchak means Carrasco will not see the 40-man again since Karinchak has an option. When Baldwin comes back, one of the three catchers will go. When one of the SP comes back (Waldrep?), I don’t know what they’ll do unless they DFA a minor leaguer or trade multiple 40-man guys.
In my opinion, Holmes belongs in the bullpen as long man.
I saw John Prine in a bar in Nashville in the summer of 1981. He was of course, awesome. Like tfloyd, I recommend Prine’s debut album. Although the most covered song is “Angel from Montgomery”, my favorite is “Hello in There”. He died in April, 2020, at the age of 73 – we lost him way too soon.
On that first album every single song is an absolute gem. I saw Prine many times in the early to mid seventies at the Great Southeast Music Hall in ATL. I saw him again in the last decade of his life and he was just as good as ever. Since he never could really sing, it didn’t make much difference that he had throat cancer and struggled to sing. He still commanded the room.
This is paraphrased. I hope it’s close. Kris Kristofferson said of Mr. Prine, “He’s so good, we’ll have to break his thumbs.”
Yep… John Prine’s eponymous debut is a perfect album, not one flaw.
I’ve heard songwriters say that it’s the kind of record that’ll make you want to just quit.
My Fave: “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You into Heaven Anymore.”
Acuña to the IL, Rowdy Tellez called up. My guess is that Rowdy had an upcoming opt-out, because otherwise that selection doesn’t make sense.
Yeah, we already have a left-handed DH, and our first baseman never takes days off. I’m gonna predict he has 1 big pinch hit for us, and by the time school starts back, we’ll forget he was even on the team.
I hate to say it, but Ronald’s headed towards DHing sooner than any of us would have hoped.
The thing is, he’s hurting himself running to first base.
Raining in Chi-Town, let’s see if we get this one in…
BTW, if you think our loss last night was tough, check out how the Nats coughed one up in SF today:
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/nationals-vs-giants/2026/06/10/823215/final/wrap
So, Sean Newcomb learned control somehow.
Chadwick Tromp signed a minor league deal with the Orioles. I wonder if we told him we didn’t have room for another catcher at Gwinnett — they have 3 right now (Maverick Handley, Adam Zebrowski, Jair Camargo)
First time poster, long time lurker…
I brought my son to watch Seibu Lions play against Hiroshima Carp, and to my great surprise, Freddy Tarnok is starting for Hiroshima.
I remember having high hopes for him before he left in that ridiculous Contreras trade.
Welcome! Do you live in Japan?
That is not a name I expected to read today. I went to a KBO game 17 years ago, but don’t remember seeing any former Braves (or major leaguers in general).
I did have a Tucker Davidson sighting at a minor league game last year, shortly after he came back from pitching in Korea. He’s currently sporting a 6.50 ERA as a 30 year old for the Phillies AAA team.
Yes, I’ve been here for a couple of decades. My son just got into baseball last year, so we’ve started going to a lot of games. Trying to check out each team’s main stadium (some teams play at various locations) this summer, but he is a Carp fan which makes it quite a bit harder.
Each team can have up to four non-Japanese players, and some of them are definitely names I saw on prospect lists years ago. But Freddy is the first ex-Brave I’ve seen in person (we weren’t attending games when Andruw was playing here).
The stadium is small and intimate. I walked over to the bullpen while he was warming up thinking about saying hi, but he looked really focused so I chickened out.