<img alt="Pittsburgh Pirates v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/500mbQBBaewZL8ZeaEiicCFrl8I=/0x0:6155x4103/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73435662/2159257491.0.jpg">
Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
The Braves managed to win another against the Pirates behind some more spectacular pitching from Fried and the bullpen. The excitement was strong for a premium pitching matchup Saturday between Max Fried and Paul Skenes.
Max Fried looked the part in the first two batters, striking out Andrew McCutchen, but began to struggle with his command, working three full counts and allowing a single and walk before preserving the scoreless first. In the bottom half, Jarred Kelenic turned on a 98 MPH fastball at the top of the zone and cranked out a line drive home run to the Chop House.
Jarred Kelenic welcomes Paul Skenes to Atlanta with a leadoff blast pic.twitter.com/k2dPWXL29S— Hammer Territory Podcast (@HammerTerritory) June 29, 2024
Skenes didn’t allow any more runs in the inning, but he did allow a single to Ozzie and an absolutely scalded double-play ball (109.3 MPH) from Ozuna. Orlando Arcia allowed a runner on in the second, as he whiffed on a bare-handed attempt and a Grandal single generated some real pressure for Fried, but a strikeout and a flyout ended the inning without any runs. After a quiet bottom second and top third, Skenes found himself in a bases loaded pickle with one out in the third. An Arcia swinging bunt and walks to Kelenic and Albies created this situation, but Marcell Ozuna had another hard hit ball (106.2) turn into a double play to end the inning.
The fourth was largely uneventful, despite singles from Riley and d’Arnaud. Max found himself in a similar hole to Skenes’ from earlier, as a bloop single and two walks loaded the bases with one out. A sac fly brought a run in to tie the game up, but Fried managed to strike out Gonzales to preserve the tie. A Kelenic one out bloop single presented an opportunity to regain the lead for Atlanta, but it came to nothing as Ozzie grounded out and Marcell struck out. Fried allowed a leadoff single in his sixth and final inning, but got three contact outs to escape the inning and cap off what was a solid outing of 6.0 innings with only 1 earned run, but 3 walks and only 4 strikeouts. Skenes struck out the side in his final inning: the bottom of the sixth.
This was a battle of the bullpens now, with the game tied and three innings left. Pierce Johnson got the first call for Atlanta and pitched a 1-2-3 inning capped off by a strikeout of a pinch-hitting Oneil Cruz on an automatic strike from Cruz not getting in the box fast enough. The bottom of the Atlanta order offered nothing against the Pirates’ bullpen and Joe Jimenez got the eighth for Atlanta. Joe found some trouble, issuing two walks after a leadoff strikeout, but got out of it with a groundout and a scary flyout. To lead off the home eighth, Kelenic hit a high fly ball deep that would have been a homer in 9 major league ballparks, but not this one with 2024 baseballs, as it fell short for a flyout which was the first out of a 1-2-3 inning for the top of Atlanta’s offense.
Iglesias got the ninth and struck out the first two batters before allowing a “triple” on a very catchable ball that just escaped Adam Duvall and nearly turned into a run on an errant throw to third. Fortunately, a swinging bunt ended the threat for Pittsburgh, giving Atlanta a walk-off opportunity with the middle of their order up against Aroldis Chapman. The winning run got on base with one out on an Austin Riley walk. D’Arnaud struck out, and Snit turned to Sean Murphy with two outs as a pinch-hitter trying to win the game right there. Murphy struck out on a 102 MPH fastball and on we went to Manfredball.
Daysbell Hernandez got the 10th for Atlanta and a ground ball moved the zombie runner over to third. A wild pitch sent the runner home, but a great bounce off the net, a nice toss from d’Arnaud, a great tag by Hernandez, and a horrible slide resulted in an out instead of a run for the Pirates on replay.
The Pirates thought they scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. The Braves challenged the call.OUT. pic.twitter.com/05qkZGRUSh— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) June 29, 2024
A fired up Daysbell struck out the batter to end the inning, giving the Braves another chance to walk off, but starting with Duvall in the eighth spot, but a runner on second this time. Duvall actually did the thing and walked it off with a ball hit off the wall, giving the Braves a fun series win in a headline game.
Join us tomorrow as the Braves attempt to sweep on a bit of a weird Sunday morning Roku-exclusive game at 11:35 AM ET.
<img alt="Pittsburgh Pirates v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/500mbQBBaewZL8ZeaEiicCFrl8I=/0x0:6155x4103/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73435662/2159257491.0.jpg">
Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
The Braves managed to win another against the Pirates behind some more spectacular pitching from Fried and the bullpen. The excitement was strong for a premium pitching matchup Saturday between Max Fried and Paul Skenes.
Max Fried looked the part in the first two batters, striking out Andrew McCutchen, but began to struggle with his command, working three full counts and allowing a single and walk before preserving the scoreless first. In the bottom half, Jarred Kelenic turned on a 98 MPH fastball at the top of the zone and cranked out a line drive home run to the Chop House.
Jarred Kelenic welcomes Paul Skenes to Atlanta with a leadoff blast pic.twitter.com/k2dPWXL29S— Hammer Territory Podcast (@HammerTerritory) June 29, 2024
Skenes didn’t allow any more runs in the inning, but he did allow a single to Ozzie and an absolutely scalded double-play ball (109.3 MPH) from Ozuna. Orlando Arcia allowed a runner on in the second, as he whiffed on a bare-handed attempt and a Grandal single generated some real pressure for Fried, but a strikeout and a flyout ended the inning without any runs. After a quiet bottom second and top third, Skenes found himself in a bases loaded pickle with one out in the third. An Arcia swinging bunt and walks to Kelenic and Albies created this situation, but Marcell Ozuna had another hard hit ball (106.2) turn into a double play to end the inning.
The fourth was largely uneventful, despite singles from Riley and d’Arnaud. Max found himself in a similar hole to Skenes’ from earlier, as a bloop single and two walks loaded the bases with one out. A sac fly brought a run in to tie the game up, but Fried managed to strike out Gonzales to preserve the tie. A Kelenic one out bloop single presented an opportunity to regain the lead for Atlanta, but it came to nothing as Ozzie grounded out and Marcell struck out. Fried allowed a leadoff single in his sixth and final inning, but got three contact outs to escape the inning and cap off what was a solid outing of 6.0 innings with only 1 earned run, but 3 walks and only 4 strikeouts. Skenes struck out the side in his final inning: the bottom of the sixth.
This was a battle of the bullpens now, with the game tied and three innings left. Pierce Johnson got the first call for Atlanta and pitched a 1-2-3 inning capped off by a strikeout of a pinch-hitting Oneil Cruz on an automatic strike from Cruz not getting in the box fast enough. The bottom of the Atlanta order offered nothing against the Pirates’ bullpen and Joe Jimenez got the eighth for Atlanta. Joe found some trouble, issuing two walks after a leadoff strikeout, but got out of it with a groundout and a scary flyout. To lead off the home eighth, Kelenic hit a high fly ball deep that would have been a homer in 9 major league ballparks, but not this one with 2024 baseballs, as it fell short for a flyout which was the first out of a 1-2-3 inning for the top of Atlanta’s offense.
Iglesias got the ninth and struck out the first two batters before allowing a “triple” on a very catchable ball that just escaped Adam Duvall and nearly turned into a run on an errant throw to third. Fortunately, a swinging bunt ended the threat for Pittsburgh, giving Atlanta a walk-off opportunity with the middle of their order up against Aroldis Chapman. The winning run got on base with one out on an Austin Riley walk. D’Arnaud struck out, and Snit turned to Sean Murphy with two outs as a pinch-hitter trying to win the game right there. Murphy struck out on a 102 MPH fastball and on we went to Manfredball.
Daysbell Hernandez got the 10th for Atlanta and a ground ball moved the zombie runner over to third. A wild pitch sent the runner home, but a great bounce off the net, a nice toss from d’Arnaud, a great tag by Hernandez, and a horrible slide resulted in an out instead of a run for the Pirates on replay.
The Pirates thought they scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. The Braves challenged the call.OUT. pic.twitter.com/05qkZGRUSh— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) June 29, 2024
A fired up Daysbell struck out the batter to end the inning, giving the Braves another chance to walk off, but starting with Duvall in the eighth spot, but a runner on second this time. Duvall actually did the thing and walked it off with a ball hit off the wall, giving the Braves a fun series win in a headline game.
Join us tomorrow as the Braves attempt to sweep on a bit of a weird Sunday morning Roku-exclusive game at 11:35 AM ET.
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