<img alt="MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RIeQ5iqfKvrUXvi5_NCnL-y4yMU=/0x0:4888x3259/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73510125/usa_today_23946323.0.jpg">
Morton continues to struggle | Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Braves’ pitching continued to give away runs like they are free, and the offense could not keep up as the Braves lose fifth in a row. The Atlanta Braves faced the Brewers in a game that looked like it could be a high scoring affair based on the pitching matchup of Charlie Morton and Frankie Montas who have both struggled mightily recently.
The game did not start off well for the Braves. It looked like Morton may get through the first inning without issue when he retired the first two hitters, but then Garrett Mitchell singled followed by a two-run HR from former Brave William Contreras over the left center wall that was a no doubter. This was then followed up by Willy Adames hitting a double. Sal Frelick then got in on the action and knocked in Adames on a single to make the score 0-3.
It should be noted that Adames had a .083 average against Morton in his career up to this point. Morton was finally able to get out of the inning when he got Jake Bauers to strikeout swinging on a curveball low and inside.
In the bottom of the inning it looked like some fortune may be going in the Braves’ way. After Kelenic and Riley both struck out, Ozuna made it safely on an error followed by a walk from Matt Olson. However, it was not to be as Orlando Arcia struck out to end the potential rally.
The second inning for Charlie Morton seemed almost like Déjà vu. He was able to retire the first two hitters faced, but then walked Brice Turang followed by a HR from Jackson Chourio to make the score 0-5. Garrett Mitchell then made it back-to-back HRs when he hot one over left center to make the score 0-6 in the Brewer’s favor. After a nine pitch at-bat to William Contreras, Morton was able to get him to groundout to end the top half of the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Frankie Montas looked like his old self and struck out the side to keep the Braves at zero runs. In the top of the third, the Brewers did not slow down. Adames stayed hot and hit a HR to make the score 0-7. This was also over the left center wall. Sal Frelick singled and Jake Bauers hit into a force out for the first out of the inning. Bauers then moved to second on a disengagement violation from Morton. Then, Morton struck out Joey Ortiz. This did not kill the rally as the Brewers yet again scored with two outs when backup catcher Eric Haase hit a single to score Bauers to make the score 0-8. Morton was then replaced by new Braves call up, Parker Dunshee. Dunshee then got Turang to groundout to end the top of the third.
The Braves were finally able to get something going in the third. Merrifield and Kelenic both walked, followed by a three run from Austin Riley to make the score 3-8.
Never say never.Austin Riley's 3-run homer puts the Braves on the board. pic.twitter.com/TMuy448TpR— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 8, 2024
Riley has now homered in two straight games. Marcel Ozuna then singled and it looked like the rally would continue. However, Olson popped up, followed by a flyout from Arcia to make it two outs. d’Arnaud then hit the ball hard at 101 MPH, but the distance was not quite enough to put it over the fence and the inning ended.
Dunshee came back out for the fourth inning and plunked Chourio to give him a free base, but was finally able to retire Mitchell for the first time this game with his first strikeout of his MLB career. He then followed that up with a strikeout of William Contreras. Dunshee was not finished yet, as he finished up by striking out his third hitter in a row when he took down Adames.
The Braves could not get anything going in the fourth. Duvall walked, but Montas got Laureano and Merrifield to strikeout and Kelenic to fly out.
Dunshee stayed in the game for the fifth. It did not go as well as the fourth. He walked Sal Frelick followed by giving up a two run shot to Bauers to make the score 3-10. He was able to get Ortiz to ground out but then Haase singled again. Turang hit into a force out to make it two outs in the inning. Following the trend of this game, with two outs Chourio hit his second HR of the game to make it 3-12. Mitchell was then walked and Contreras added another RBI for himself when he hit a double to make it 3-13. Finally, Adames popped up to end the inning.
Montas was replaced by Elvis Peguero in the bottom of the fifth. Ozuna walked, but that was the only base runner of the inning for the Braves. Luke Jackson then came in for Dunshee in the sixth, and Eli White came in for Kelenic in CF. It looked like Jackson would not slow things down against the Brewers either. Frelick singled. Jackson got Bauers to strikeout, but then Ortiz singled to put two runners on. Fortunately, the next two hitters were retired to finish off the top of the sixth.
Former Brave Bryse Wilson came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth. He retried d’Arnaud, but Laureano got to him with a single. Duvall popped up to make it two outs, and then Merrifield doubled to put runners on second and third with two outs. White, who replaced Kelenic, could not capitalize and flied out to LF to end the inning.
Jackson stayed in to pitch the seventh but could not get things going. He gave up a single and then back-to-back walks to load the bases with zero outs. He then walked Monasterio with the bases loaded making the score 3-14. In an interesting move, Raisel Iglesias came in to pitch at this point. If that is not a sign of defeat, then nothing is. He then sat down the next three batters via two pop ups and a flyout.
The Braves showed some sign of life in the bottom of the seventh. Riley struck out, but Ozuna hit a solo shot to left field to make the score 4-14. It was his thirty-third HR of the year. Olson popped up, but Arcia managed to get a single. The rally ended when d’Arnaud struck out looking.
33rd home run of the season for the Big Bear. pic.twitter.com/svYwTFOMV3— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 8, 2024
Positon player Luke Williams came in to pitch the eighth, and was able to go three-up-three down. The best inning pitched by the Braves to this point was from a position player.
In the bottom of the eighth Laureano singled, showing some signs of life, but Duvall promptly struck out swinging. Whit Merrifield was able to walk for a second time and then Eli White came through with a two run double to make the score 6-14. Riley then singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Ozuna then added on one more run with a groundout that scored White to make the score 7-14. Matt Olson then struck out to end the inning.
Luke Williams stayed in the game in the ninth and got Mitchell to line out to center. William Contreras finally ended Williams’ no baserunner streak when he hit a single off of a 59.8 MPH eephus pitch. Monasterio followed with a single of his own. Frelick then singled to score Contreras to make the score 7-15. The inning would eventually end with the score 7-16.
Being down nine runs in the bottom of the ninth is not impossible, but certainly not probable. It was not to be as the minimum number of hitters came to the plate.
The Braves have lost their fifth straight and have been outscored 45-15 in that span. They face the Rockies tomorrow evening, looking to avoid a six game skid.
<img alt="MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RIeQ5iqfKvrUXvi5_NCnL-y4yMU=/0x0:4888x3259/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73510125/usa_today_23946323.0.jpg">
Morton continues to struggle | Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Braves’ pitching continued to give away runs like they are free, and the offense could not keep up as the Braves lose fifth in a row. The Atlanta Braves faced the Brewers in a game that looked like it could be a high scoring affair based on the pitching matchup of Charlie Morton and Frankie Montas who have both struggled mightily recently.
The game did not start off well for the Braves. It looked like Morton may get through the first inning without issue when he retired the first two hitters, but then Garrett Mitchell singled followed by a two-run HR from former Brave William Contreras over the left center wall that was a no doubter. This was then followed up by Willy Adames hitting a double. Sal Frelick then got in on the action and knocked in Adames on a single to make the score 0-3.
It should be noted that Adames had a .083 average against Morton in his career up to this point. Morton was finally able to get out of the inning when he got Jake Bauers to strikeout swinging on a curveball low and inside.
In the bottom of the inning it looked like some fortune may be going in the Braves’ way. After Kelenic and Riley both struck out, Ozuna made it safely on an error followed by a walk from Matt Olson. However, it was not to be as Orlando Arcia struck out to end the potential rally.
The second inning for Charlie Morton seemed almost like Déjà vu. He was able to retire the first two hitters faced, but then walked Brice Turang followed by a HR from Jackson Chourio to make the score 0-5. Garrett Mitchell then made it back-to-back HRs when he hot one over left center to make the score 0-6 in the Brewer’s favor. After a nine pitch at-bat to William Contreras, Morton was able to get him to groundout to end the top half of the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Frankie Montas looked like his old self and struck out the side to keep the Braves at zero runs. In the top of the third, the Brewers did not slow down. Adames stayed hot and hit a HR to make the score 0-7. This was also over the left center wall. Sal Frelick singled and Jake Bauers hit into a force out for the first out of the inning. Bauers then moved to second on a disengagement violation from Morton. Then, Morton struck out Joey Ortiz. This did not kill the rally as the Brewers yet again scored with two outs when backup catcher Eric Haase hit a single to score Bauers to make the score 0-8. Morton was then replaced by new Braves call up, Parker Dunshee. Dunshee then got Turang to groundout to end the top of the third.
The Braves were finally able to get something going in the third. Merrifield and Kelenic both walked, followed by a three run from Austin Riley to make the score 3-8.
Never say never.Austin Riley's 3-run homer puts the Braves on the board. pic.twitter.com/TMuy448TpR— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 8, 2024
Riley has now homered in two straight games. Marcel Ozuna then singled and it looked like the rally would continue. However, Olson popped up, followed by a flyout from Arcia to make it two outs. d’Arnaud then hit the ball hard at 101 MPH, but the distance was not quite enough to put it over the fence and the inning ended.
Dunshee came back out for the fourth inning and plunked Chourio to give him a free base, but was finally able to retire Mitchell for the first time this game with his first strikeout of his MLB career. He then followed that up with a strikeout of William Contreras. Dunshee was not finished yet, as he finished up by striking out his third hitter in a row when he took down Adames.
The Braves could not get anything going in the fourth. Duvall walked, but Montas got Laureano and Merrifield to strikeout and Kelenic to fly out.
Dunshee stayed in the game for the fifth. It did not go as well as the fourth. He walked Sal Frelick followed by giving up a two run shot to Bauers to make the score 3-10. He was able to get Ortiz to ground out but then Haase singled again. Turang hit into a force out to make it two outs in the inning. Following the trend of this game, with two outs Chourio hit his second HR of the game to make it 3-12. Mitchell was then walked and Contreras added another RBI for himself when he hit a double to make it 3-13. Finally, Adames popped up to end the inning.
Montas was replaced by Elvis Peguero in the bottom of the fifth. Ozuna walked, but that was the only base runner of the inning for the Braves. Luke Jackson then came in for Dunshee in the sixth, and Eli White came in for Kelenic in CF. It looked like Jackson would not slow things down against the Brewers either. Frelick singled. Jackson got Bauers to strikeout, but then Ortiz singled to put two runners on. Fortunately, the next two hitters were retired to finish off the top of the sixth.
Former Brave Bryse Wilson came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth. He retried d’Arnaud, but Laureano got to him with a single. Duvall popped up to make it two outs, and then Merrifield doubled to put runners on second and third with two outs. White, who replaced Kelenic, could not capitalize and flied out to LF to end the inning.
Jackson stayed in to pitch the seventh but could not get things going. He gave up a single and then back-to-back walks to load the bases with zero outs. He then walked Monasterio with the bases loaded making the score 3-14. In an interesting move, Raisel Iglesias came in to pitch at this point. If that is not a sign of defeat, then nothing is. He then sat down the next three batters via two pop ups and a flyout.
The Braves showed some sign of life in the bottom of the seventh. Riley struck out, but Ozuna hit a solo shot to left field to make the score 4-14. It was his thirty-third HR of the year. Olson popped up, but Arcia managed to get a single. The rally ended when d’Arnaud struck out looking.
33rd home run of the season for the Big Bear. pic.twitter.com/svYwTFOMV3— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 8, 2024
Positon player Luke Williams came in to pitch the eighth, and was able to go three-up-three down. The best inning pitched by the Braves to this point was from a position player.
In the bottom of the eighth Laureano singled, showing some signs of life, but Duvall promptly struck out swinging. Whit Merrifield was able to walk for a second time and then Eli White came through with a two run double to make the score 6-14. Riley then singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Ozuna then added on one more run with a groundout that scored White to make the score 7-14. Matt Olson then struck out to end the inning.
Luke Williams stayed in the game in the ninth and got Mitchell to line out to center. William Contreras finally ended Williams’ no baserunner streak when he hit a single off of a 59.8 MPH eephus pitch. Monasterio followed with a single of his own. Frelick then singled to score Contreras to make the score 7-15. The inning would eventually end with the score 7-16.
Being down nine runs in the bottom of the ninth is not impossible, but certainly not probable. It was not to be as the minimum number of hitters came to the plate.
The Braves have lost their fifth straight and have been outscored 45-15 in that span. They face the Rockies tomorrow evening, looking to avoid a six game skid.
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