The Atlanta Braves continued their Jekyll and Hyde ways on Tuesday night and fell to the Blue Jays, 6-3.
They still have not won back-to-back games this season.
It was a rare sight to behold, but Spencer Schwellenbach just didn’t have his command at any point. He gave up six runs — tying a career-worst set last June in his second big league start — with five of those coming in a disastrous 5th inning where the wheels fell off.
With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth, 9th place hitter Alan Roden hit a no-doubter over the wall to make it 3-1. After a scorched double and walk to the top of the order, prized offseason addition Anthony Santander nuked a ball to make it 6-1. Schwellenbach would depart the game shortly after.
The Braves were unable to do much against old friend Kevin Gausman, who cruised for the better part of six innings. Austin Riley actually scored the game’s first run on an impressive opposite field homer in the first inning on the 11th pitch of the at bat, and Matt Olson would send one over the wall in the sixth. But that was all the offense could muster in the early going.
The bullpen duo of Zach Thompson and Rafael Montero did a nice job in relief to preserve the slim possibility of a comeback, even if it was for naught.
Ozzie Albies hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth to cut the lead to 6-3, but that would be all.
Atlanta will look to win the series on Wednesday afternoon behind Spencer Strider, who will be making his return to the mound after more than 12 months away. Strider will be opposed by Chris Bassitt, who’s been awesome in the early going. First pitch is at 1:07 p.m. ET.