Chris Sale (51) of the Atlanta Braves will face the New York Mets and Miami Marlins in his next two starts. Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves failed to extend their three-game win streak on Sunday afternoon after losing to the Colorado Rockies 10-1 in front of a sellout crowd at Truist Park. Despite the loss, Braves pitcher Grant Holmes pitched his best game of the season. Holmes struck out 15 Rockies, but ended up being responsible for the loss after leaving a couple of runners on base in the 7th inning. The Braves’ bullpen imploded after Enyel De Los Santos gave up four earned runs in relief.
Jose Ruiz came on in relief of De Los Santos and proceeded to give up a run in the 7th and leave the bases loaded for Aaron Bummer in the 8th.
Bummer gave up a three-run triple to Rockies shortstop Ryan Ritter, giving the visitors a 9-run advantage.
Infielder Luke Williams came on in relief in the ninth inning, threw seven pitches, and gave up a single with no runs. It was by far the best bullpen work of the day.
The timing for a bad loss couldn’t be worse for the Braves. The results of the next 13 games will determine whether or not Atlanta can truly challenge their rivals for the division title and have a postseason to prepare for.
Next week begins a very important two weeks of games for the Braves as the division portion of their schedule rears its ugly head. Atlanta will play four consecutive series against National League East teams. That stretch is significant because there are no days off in between series.
The Braves will host the Mets, beginning on Tuesday, before traveling south to play the Marlins in a three-game series to close the week. Then Atlanta will immediately turn around and fly to New York to play the Mets at Citi Field in a four-game series. While up north, Braves manager Brian Snitker and the team will move to Philadelphia to play a three-game series in the City of Brotherly Love.
The pair of series against the Mets will mark the first time the Braves have played them this season. However, Atlanta has already faced Miami and Philadelphia this season. The Braves and Marlins split a pair of games during the season’s first weeks. In the Braves’ 10-0 victory, starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach pitched a gem: 8 innings, two hits, 10 strikeouts, 99 pitches. The Marlins won’t see Schwellenbach (5-4, 3.11 ERA, 84 strikeouts) again because he’s scheduled to start a game in the Mets series at Truist Park.
Atlanta has had issues with Philadelphia’s season, both at home and away. The Braves lost two of three games on the road in late May and two of three games at Truist Park in early April.
The Atlanta Braves will host the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park (above) during the next 13 games. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Who’s Hot and Not: Chris Sale, who starts on Monday against the Mets, will get another start in Miami before the Philadelphia series. Sale has been up and down against the Phillies this season as well.
In Philadelphia in May, Sale passed the 2,500 strikeout mark on the way to a six-inning, two-hit, eight-strikeout, and no earned run gem. Sale got knocked out of a game against the Phillies in Truist Park on April 8 after giving up five runs and nine hits in four innings against the Philies.
Related