From the start of spring training the baseball world watched as the Braves hit home run after home run. Everyone knew they would be a slugging team, and they continued to show that today, hitting four home runs to bring them to a team total of 29 home runs in 15 games. Just to be clear, the Pirates have nine home runs as a team, the same number that Justin Upton has alone.
It didn't take long for the Braves to tee off, with a lead off home run to B.J Upton. It was his second home run of the year, the first being a dramatic 9th inning game tying home run on April 6th against the Chicago Cubs. It was also his ninth overall hit this season as he maintains a .167 batting average.
The lead was short lived after an RBI double from Andrew McCutchen, who went 1-4 tonight. In the bottom of the second inning Russel Martin powered a home run over the left field wall to take a 2-1 lead.
But that lead was short lived. After a two out walk to Justin Upton, Chris Johnson belted a deep home run to straightaway center, giving the Braves a 3-2 lead. That was the second of three hits by Johnson, also getting a single in the first and ninth innings. Today marked his seventh multi-hit game, and extended his hitting streak to six games.
But, lead giveth and lead taketh away. In the fourth inning, Pedro Alvarez blasted a monstrous home run, bouncing off the batter's eye in center field.
Julio Teheran struggled today, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in five innings. He showed little to no command today, letting up two walks in the first inning, two home runs, and two hit batsmen. His record now is 0-0 in three starts with a 7.31 ERA. This season in 16 innings pitched he has allowed 21 hits, 13 earned runs, allowing seven walks and striking out 12. As you can tell, I sit here a Teheran skeptic. Jason Heyward also showed signs of struggles today, going 0-5 with two strike outs. Heyward now is batting .115 with six hits in 52 at bats.
The Braves wanted the lead back and they were going to do it in true Braves fashion. With one out in the fifth, Justin Upton came to the plate with the bases empty. Justin Upton has started out hotter than any other player, and kept that going by ripping a home run deep to left field in almost the exact spot where his brother had put one earlier for his MLB leading ninth home run.
But as if the Pirates hadn't gotten on the Braves' nerves enough, they managed to tie it up again. After Travis Snider reached third on a wild pitch after hitting a lead off double, it only took two more batters to make it a game again. Garrett Jones connected for an RBI double, giving him his second RBI of the game. Jones advanced to third on a single by Alvarez, but both were left on base after a Russel Martin fly out.
Andrelton Simmons lead off the eighth inning with a walk, then was advanced by a Gerald Laird sacrifice bunt. Fredi Gonzalez called for the Braves' secret weapon, Evan Gattis to come off the bench to pinch hit. In his first ever pinch hit appearance, Gattis shot off his fifth home run in 12 games. He is batting .279/.333/.674 in the 26 year old catcher's rookie season.
That proved to be all the Braves needed to wrap up the game. After a quick eighth inning from the arm of Eric O'Flaherty, the door was opened for Craig Kimbrel in the ninth. Kimbrel continued to show his consistency, retiring the batters in order with three strike outs. Kimbrel now has seven saves in seven opportunities, an MLB best. Anthony Varvaro recorded his first win of the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment