<img alt="MLB: Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y9hhDLskCRW1tTUw8cNKXFwvPxg=/0x80:6366x4324/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73494214/usa_today_23874769.0.jpg">
Chris Sale struggled early, but settled down | Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Sale struggled early, but the offense came through late to bring home the victory for the Braves The Atlanta Braves took on the Milwaukee Brewers today in the series finale of their three game set. Chris Sale was on the mound for the Braves and Freddy Peralta for the Brew Crew. Jorge Soler made his 2024 Braves debut and Whit Merrifield both made his first Braves start.
The first inning did not start well for the Braves. Peralta was able to induce a one-two-three inning. In his first at-bat for the Braves this season Soler hit a fly out to RF. Austin Riley then followed with a pop up and then Marcel Ozuna struck out on four pitches. When the Brewers came to bat against Sale, he struggled right out of the gate. He gave up three straight singles to Jackson Chourio, Rhys Hoskins, and Gary Sánchez to put the first run on the board. Sale was able to strike out Willy Adames, but then walked Joey Ortiz to load the bases. Blake Perkins hit a fly ball to Jorge Soler which resulted in a sacrifice fly to make the score 0-2. The inning finally ended when Sale was able to get another fly out to Soler in RF.
In the top of the second inning it was more of the same for the Braves. Matt Olson struck out and Travis d’Arnaud flied out. After that, there was a glimmer of a rally. Eddie Rosario walked and then promptly stole second, then Orlando Arcia singled to move him to third, but then struggling Jarred Kelenic struck out looking to end the rally.
Chris Sale started his half of the second inning strong. He induced fly outs to both Haase and Chourio, but then he gave up a double to Chourio. Fortunately, he was able to strikeout Hoskins to end the inning without any more damage done.
To start off the third inning, Whit Merrifield had his first at-bat in a Braves uniform, but he did not make much of it as he flew out to right. Soler followed that up with a strikeout. Austin Riley also could not get anything going as he flew out to right. Chris Sale shook off his shaky start to the game and looked dominant in the bottom of the third. He got Sánchez to line out and then had back-to-back strikeouts to Adames and Ortiz.
In the fourth the Braves finally got things going. Ozuna struck out, but then Olson and d’Arnaud hit back to back dingers to tie the game 2-2. Olson’s was an opposite field HR and d’Arnaud’s was a no doubter off the bat. The top of the inning ended with Rosario striking out and Arcia hit a ground out.
back2back@Delta | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/cXQEGvwy9f— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 31, 2024
Chris Sale struggled by his standards again in the bottom of the fourth. He walked Perkins and then gave up a single to Frelick. Perkins made it to third on the hit but Rosario threw out Frelick trying to make it to second. Sale settled down and struck out Haase on three pitches and then was able to get out of the jam unscathed when Monasterio lined out to RF.
The fifth inning was not as productive for the Braves. They went three-up-three-down with three straight lineouts from Kelenic, Merrifield, and Soler. Chris Sale looked sharp again in the bottom of the fifth as he too was able to produce a three-up-three-down with a ground out and two fly outs to Chourio, Hoskins, and Sánchez respectively.
In the sixth inning, it looked like some fortune may come the Braves way as Austin Riley was able to get on base when Adames had an error, but Ozuna ended that hope with a double play grounder. Olson kept his good game going with a walk, which put a runner on first with two outs. However, d’Arnaud was unable to replicate coming through from earlier in the game and struck out in an at-bat that he battled with four foul balls in a single at-bat.
Sale stayed in the game for the sixth. He was able to get Adames to lineout to third base. Not to be outdone by d’Arnaud, Joey Ortiz had a twn pitch battle with Chris Sale, but ultimately Sale won the battle with a strikeout. Perkins was able to get to Sale and hit a double, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs. The long at-bat from Ortiz followed by the double seemed to get to Sale as he threw three straight pitches outside of the zone to Frelick, and ultimately walked him.
In what appeared to be a solid decision, Pierce Johnson replaced Chris Sale. Sale ended his outing with 5.2 innings pitched, six hits, two ER, four walks, and six strikeouts.
Old friend William Contreras replaced Haase and was walked by Johnson to load the bases. Fortunately, Johnson was able to settle down and strike out Monasterio with a pitch in the dirt.
In the seventh inning Adam Duvall pinch hit for Eddie Rosario and Jared Koenig replaced Peralta for the Brewers to pitch. Duvall struck out, but then Arcia was able to reach on an error from Ortiz. Kelenic than hit into a force out to put one runner on with two outs. Merrifield singled followed by a Soler walk to load the bases. Keonig was then replaced by Elvis Peguero. Austin Riley was not hampered by the pitching change and came through with a clutch single to plate two, making the score 4-2. Ozuna then struck out to end the inning.
Johnson stayed in to pitch for the Braves. He took care of business only allowing a single. Nick Mears came in for the Brewers to pitch the top of the eighth. The Braves took full advantage of this. Matt Olson and Travis d’Arnaud then hit back-to-back HRs for the SECOND time this game to make the score 6-2.
Matt and Travis go back-to-back AGAIN!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/f2VPn7bZxZ— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 31, 2024
Duvall, Arcia, and Kelenic then were retired, but damage had been done.
Joe Jiménez came in to pitch for the Braves in the eighth. Ortiz was able to hit a single off of him and then make it to second on a force out, but the inning ended when Contreras struck out looking.
The top of the ninth started out well for the Braves. Merrifield walked, followed by a single from Laureano, who replaced Soler in RF. Riley struck out to have two on with one out. Ozuna also struck out, but Merrifield stole third. Hoby Milner then came in to pitch for the Brewers. Olson had a 3-0 count on him, but then eventually flew out to left to end the inning.
Even with a four run lead, the Braves opted to bring in Raisel Iglesias to pitch the bottom of the ninth. He was able to get Turang to fly out, followed by a strikeout to Chourio. Jake Bauers came in as a pinch hitter as a last hope attempt. Iglesias struck him out to end the game in a 6-2 victory for the Braves.
The Phillies and Mets both lost today, so the Braves gained a full game in the standings on both of them on this historic day where the same duo hit back-to-back HRs twice in the same game.
The Braves will head home to face the depleted Marlins.
<img alt="MLB: Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y9hhDLskCRW1tTUw8cNKXFwvPxg=/0x80:6366x4324/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73494214/usa_today_23874769.0.jpg">
Chris Sale struggled early, but settled down | Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Sale struggled early, but the offense came through late to bring home the victory for the Braves The Atlanta Braves took on the Milwaukee Brewers today in the series finale of their three game set. Chris Sale was on the mound for the Braves and Freddy Peralta for the Brew Crew. Jorge Soler made his 2024 Braves debut and Whit Merrifield both made his first Braves start.
The first inning did not start well for the Braves. Peralta was able to induce a one-two-three inning. In his first at-bat for the Braves this season Soler hit a fly out to RF. Austin Riley then followed with a pop up and then Marcel Ozuna struck out on four pitches. When the Brewers came to bat against Sale, he struggled right out of the gate. He gave up three straight singles to Jackson Chourio, Rhys Hoskins, and Gary Sánchez to put the first run on the board. Sale was able to strike out Willy Adames, but then walked Joey Ortiz to load the bases. Blake Perkins hit a fly ball to Jorge Soler which resulted in a sacrifice fly to make the score 0-2. The inning finally ended when Sale was able to get another fly out to Soler in RF.
In the top of the second inning it was more of the same for the Braves. Matt Olson struck out and Travis d’Arnaud flied out. After that, there was a glimmer of a rally. Eddie Rosario walked and then promptly stole second, then Orlando Arcia singled to move him to third, but then struggling Jarred Kelenic struck out looking to end the rally.
Chris Sale started his half of the second inning strong. He induced fly outs to both Haase and Chourio, but then he gave up a double to Chourio. Fortunately, he was able to strikeout Hoskins to end the inning without any more damage done.
To start off the third inning, Whit Merrifield had his first at-bat in a Braves uniform, but he did not make much of it as he flew out to right. Soler followed that up with a strikeout. Austin Riley also could not get anything going as he flew out to right. Chris Sale shook off his shaky start to the game and looked dominant in the bottom of the third. He got Sánchez to line out and then had back-to-back strikeouts to Adames and Ortiz.
In the fourth the Braves finally got things going. Ozuna struck out, but then Olson and d’Arnaud hit back to back dingers to tie the game 2-2. Olson’s was an opposite field HR and d’Arnaud’s was a no doubter off the bat. The top of the inning ended with Rosario striking out and Arcia hit a ground out.
back2back@Delta | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/cXQEGvwy9f— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 31, 2024
Chris Sale struggled by his standards again in the bottom of the fourth. He walked Perkins and then gave up a single to Frelick. Perkins made it to third on the hit but Rosario threw out Frelick trying to make it to second. Sale settled down and struck out Haase on three pitches and then was able to get out of the jam unscathed when Monasterio lined out to RF.
The fifth inning was not as productive for the Braves. They went three-up-three-down with three straight lineouts from Kelenic, Merrifield, and Soler. Chris Sale looked sharp again in the bottom of the fifth as he too was able to produce a three-up-three-down with a ground out and two fly outs to Chourio, Hoskins, and Sánchez respectively.
In the sixth inning, it looked like some fortune may come the Braves way as Austin Riley was able to get on base when Adames had an error, but Ozuna ended that hope with a double play grounder. Olson kept his good game going with a walk, which put a runner on first with two outs. However, d’Arnaud was unable to replicate coming through from earlier in the game and struck out in an at-bat that he battled with four foul balls in a single at-bat.
Sale stayed in the game for the sixth. He was able to get Adames to lineout to third base. Not to be outdone by d’Arnaud, Joey Ortiz had a twn pitch battle with Chris Sale, but ultimately Sale won the battle with a strikeout. Perkins was able to get to Sale and hit a double, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs. The long at-bat from Ortiz followed by the double seemed to get to Sale as he threw three straight pitches outside of the zone to Frelick, and ultimately walked him.
In what appeared to be a solid decision, Pierce Johnson replaced Chris Sale. Sale ended his outing with 5.2 innings pitched, six hits, two ER, four walks, and six strikeouts.
Old friend William Contreras replaced Haase and was walked by Johnson to load the bases. Fortunately, Johnson was able to settle down and strike out Monasterio with a pitch in the dirt.
In the seventh inning Adam Duvall pinch hit for Eddie Rosario and Jared Koenig replaced Peralta for the Brewers to pitch. Duvall struck out, but then Arcia was able to reach on an error from Ortiz. Kelenic than hit into a force out to put one runner on with two outs. Merrifield singled followed by a Soler walk to load the bases. Keonig was then replaced by Elvis Peguero. Austin Riley was not hampered by the pitching change and came through with a clutch single to plate two, making the score 4-2. Ozuna then struck out to end the inning.
Johnson stayed in to pitch for the Braves. He took care of business only allowing a single. Nick Mears came in for the Brewers to pitch the top of the eighth. The Braves took full advantage of this. Matt Olson and Travis d’Arnaud then hit back-to-back HRs for the SECOND time this game to make the score 6-2.
Matt and Travis go back-to-back AGAIN!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/f2VPn7bZxZ— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 31, 2024
Duvall, Arcia, and Kelenic then were retired, but damage had been done.
Joe Jiménez came in to pitch for the Braves in the eighth. Ortiz was able to hit a single off of him and then make it to second on a force out, but the inning ended when Contreras struck out looking.
The top of the ninth started out well for the Braves. Merrifield walked, followed by a single from Laureano, who replaced Soler in RF. Riley struck out to have two on with one out. Ozuna also struck out, but Merrifield stole third. Hoby Milner then came in to pitch for the Brewers. Olson had a 3-0 count on him, but then eventually flew out to left to end the inning.
Even with a four run lead, the Braves opted to bring in Raisel Iglesias to pitch the bottom of the ninth. He was able to get Turang to fly out, followed by a strikeout to Chourio. Jake Bauers came in as a pinch hitter as a last hope attempt. Iglesias struck him out to end the game in a 6-2 victory for the Braves.
The Phillies and Mets both lost today, so the Braves gained a full game in the standings on both of them on this historic day where the same duo hit back-to-back HRs twice in the same game.
The Braves will head home to face the depleted Marlins.
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