The month of June ended roughly six pitches into the eighth inning of tonight’s game, as the Braves bats once again set their alarm clock to go off the moment the bullpen entered the game.

It was a pitchers’ duel for the first six innings, as the Good Reynaldo showed up and faced off against Michael McGreevy, who honestly sounds like the name of the nerdy comic relief in a high school movie, the kind of guy who winds up with a fake ID that says McLovin.

(He came into the game with a Stuff+ of 81, which means that his stuff is 19% worse than league average, and by such belly-itchers have our soon-to-be All-Stars been getting three-hit this summer.)

Well, not to beat around the bush, I didn’t see any of that. I started watching in the seventh inning, after the baby was down and the dinner was made, and I saw a team that was working the counts and playing the kind of pesky ball that gives opposing staffs fits. In the 7th, Dubon and Yaz walked and were stranded; the next inning, they were avenged.

First, Drake Baldwin walked, equalling his June walk total. Then, Ozzie hit a double play ball to the third baseman, but Mercury isn’t in retrograde any more, so the third baseman kicked it; everybody was safe. For the second time in three innings, Matt Olson just got under the ball and flew out to right. Michael then ambushed the first pitch, inside-outing the ball over the shortstop’s head for an RBI single. That brought up Dubon, who laid down a perfect suicide squeeze, pushing it sharply so the first baseman had to bare-hand it, giving Ozzie time to score under the tag.

For a team that’s been slumping as badly as we have, I love this call. Dubon’s exactly the right guy to play aggressive smallball with. I’d love to see us steal more bases, of course!

After the Dubon sacrifice, Dom Smith singled to right field, but Jordan Walker has a cannon and he threw out Mike at home. Finally, Austin Riley came up and he singled to left, stretching the lead to the comfortable margin at which it would remain. After three quick outs by Raisel, we’re 1-0 on this calendar page. That’s a good start.

Another good start is being had by Eric Hartman, who has rocketed up the prospect lists faster than anyone we’ve had since Michael and possibly since Ronald. Just how much of a Dude is he? While the Braves are the current favorites in the Skubal Sweepstakes, according to Bob Nightingale (whom you can sometimes but not always take seriously), Fangraphs prospect analyst Brendan Gawlowski suggested the Braves should consider Hartman untouchable. Get excited!