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Jorge Soler hit another HR in the finale against the Twins | Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Luke Williams had two doubles and two RBI, and Chris Sale limited the Twins to one run. The Atlanta Braves took on the Twins in the final game of the series looking for a sweep. They were back by Cy Young front runner Chris Sale and an offense that has scored eighteen runs in the past two games.
The first inning started off with a bang when Jorge Soler, hitting second in the lineup, hit a solo HR over the center field wall traveling 107.5 MPH off the bat.
SOLER POWER!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/VKELbnkeBP— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 28, 2024
Unfortunately, this was the only run the Braves managed to get in the inning as Ozuna struck out and Matt Olson grounded out to end the inning.
Chris Sale looked great in the first inning. He was able to get Margot, who has had success against Sale in his career, to pop up. Sale then had back-to-back strikeouts to Ryan Jeffers and Jose Miranda.
In the second, the Braves could not keep the momentum going. Laureano grounded out, followed by a fly out from Harris and a strikeout out from Arcia. It only took nine pitches to get through the inning. When Sale got the ball he clearly could not be outdone by the rookie Festa, and had a three-up-three-down inning of his own.
In the third, Gio Urshela’s backup Luke Williams made a good impression with a double after Sean Murphy grounded out. Whit Merrifield then moved Williams over to third on a groundout to put him on third with two outs. The hero of the first inning, Jorge Soler, could not bring in the runner when he grounded out. Chris Sale continued his dominance in the third, seeing the minimum hitters while picking up his third strikeout of the game.
In the fourth the Braves offense was shutdown again with no baserunners, but it did get interesting once Chris Sale took the ball. It is the first part of the game where he did not look untouchable. Margot singled off of him, followed by a ground-rule double to put runners on second and third with no outs. This may demoralize the average pitcher, but not Sale. He struck out Jose Miranda. Carlos Santana, he has a .311 average against Sale in forty-five at-bats walked to load the bases. Sale was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout with no runs scored.
The Braves could not add insurance in the fifth when Festa struck out the side. The fifth remained quiet for both teams offensively as Sale stayed calm after his rough fourth inning and sat down all three hitters via three straight groundouts.
It was almost like Festa and Sale were having a competition against each other specifically because Festa came out in the sixth and also had three straight outs with two of them being groundouts.
Sale’s shutout attempt came to an end in the bottom of the sixth inning. Margot, who seems to be becoming a rival of Sale’s, doubled to lead off the bottom half of the inning. Jeffers then singled to Jorge Soler. As most of us know, Soler has had trouble in the outfield when Sale has pitched. Well, he made up for some of it tonight when he gunned Margot down at home for the out. Miranda then singled to put runners on first and second. Santana popped up to make it two outs, but then Willi Castro singled to score the run and make the score 1-1. Sale prevented further damage by getting the strikeout.
In the seventh the Braves came alive. Ozuna walked, which spelled the end of the night for Festa. Theibar came in the game. Matt Olson then came through with a double that scored Marcell Ozuna to make it 2-1 with zero outs. Laureano stayed hot by coming in clutch with an RBI single to score Olson and make the score 3-1. Harris struck out and then Alcala came in as the new pitcher to face Arcia. Arcia was not deterred as he was able to single to put runners on the corners. Sean Murphy hit a bouncer to the pitcher and in a bang-bang play Laureano was initially called safe at home, but the Twins challenged the play and it was overturned resulting in an out. Luke Williams came through with his second double of the night and cleared the bases to make the score 5-1. The Braves offensive outburst ended when Merrifield flied out to end the inning.
Bases cleared! #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/LgNOmRj5U0— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 29, 2024
Luke Jackson came in to relieve Sale in the bottom of the seventh. Sale ended his night with 6.0 innings, six hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
Jackson walked the first hitter he faced, but followed it up with back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout from Margot, who has been a thorn in the Braves’ side tonight with the bat (not so much with his base running though).
Old friend Michael Tonkin came in for the Twins to pitch the eighth. He struck out Kelenic who replaced Jorge Soler defensively in the previous inning. Marcell Ozuna singled to try and get things going again. Olson struck out, but Laureano had another hit to put two on with two outs. The top half of the inning ended when Harris struck out for the third time this game.
Joe Jiménez replaced Jackson in the bottom of the eighth. He looked strong striking out Jeffers and Miranda back-to-back. He did end up walking Santana, but then struck out Castro to end the inning.
Tonkin was replaced in the ninth by Ronny Henriquez who has been solid thus far this year with a 2.89 ERA. He got Arcia to strike out swinging, but Murphy was able to get on base via a walk. That walk was the only offense of the inning though as Luke Williams and Whit Merrifield lined out and flied out respectively.
Even though there was a four run lead, Brian Snitker opted to bring in Raisel Iglesias. It is an interesting move since the Braves play the Phillies tomorrow, but nevertheless, it happened. Iglesias did give up a double, but other than that he did what he has done all season long. He dominated his competition and sat down the hitters without recording an earned run securing the victory for the Braves 5-1.
The Braves go into the series with the Phillies tomorrow being five games back in the division having won six of their last seven games where both their offense and pitching has looked fantastic as of late.
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Jorge Soler hit another HR in the finale against the Twins | Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Luke Williams had two doubles and two RBI, and Chris Sale limited the Twins to one run. The Atlanta Braves took on the Twins in the final game of the series looking for a sweep. They were back by Cy Young front runner Chris Sale and an offense that has scored eighteen runs in the past two games.
The first inning started off with a bang when Jorge Soler, hitting second in the lineup, hit a solo HR over the center field wall traveling 107.5 MPH off the bat.
SOLER POWER!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/VKELbnkeBP— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 28, 2024
Unfortunately, this was the only run the Braves managed to get in the inning as Ozuna struck out and Matt Olson grounded out to end the inning.
Chris Sale looked great in the first inning. He was able to get Margot, who has had success against Sale in his career, to pop up. Sale then had back-to-back strikeouts to Ryan Jeffers and Jose Miranda.
In the second, the Braves could not keep the momentum going. Laureano grounded out, followed by a fly out from Harris and a strikeout out from Arcia. It only took nine pitches to get through the inning. When Sale got the ball he clearly could not be outdone by the rookie Festa, and had a three-up-three-down inning of his own.
In the third, Gio Urshela’s backup Luke Williams made a good impression with a double after Sean Murphy grounded out. Whit Merrifield then moved Williams over to third on a groundout to put him on third with two outs. The hero of the first inning, Jorge Soler, could not bring in the runner when he grounded out. Chris Sale continued his dominance in the third, seeing the minimum hitters while picking up his third strikeout of the game.
In the fourth the Braves offense was shutdown again with no baserunners, but it did get interesting once Chris Sale took the ball. It is the first part of the game where he did not look untouchable. Margot singled off of him, followed by a ground-rule double to put runners on second and third with no outs. This may demoralize the average pitcher, but not Sale. He struck out Jose Miranda. Carlos Santana, he has a .311 average against Sale in forty-five at-bats walked to load the bases. Sale was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout with no runs scored.
The Braves could not add insurance in the fifth when Festa struck out the side. The fifth remained quiet for both teams offensively as Sale stayed calm after his rough fourth inning and sat down all three hitters via three straight groundouts.
It was almost like Festa and Sale were having a competition against each other specifically because Festa came out in the sixth and also had three straight outs with two of them being groundouts.
Sale’s shutout attempt came to an end in the bottom of the sixth inning. Margot, who seems to be becoming a rival of Sale’s, doubled to lead off the bottom half of the inning. Jeffers then singled to Jorge Soler. As most of us know, Soler has had trouble in the outfield when Sale has pitched. Well, he made up for some of it tonight when he gunned Margot down at home for the out. Miranda then singled to put runners on first and second. Santana popped up to make it two outs, but then Willi Castro singled to score the run and make the score 1-1. Sale prevented further damage by getting the strikeout.
In the seventh the Braves came alive. Ozuna walked, which spelled the end of the night for Festa. Theibar came in the game. Matt Olson then came through with a double that scored Marcell Ozuna to make it 2-1 with zero outs. Laureano stayed hot by coming in clutch with an RBI single to score Olson and make the score 3-1. Harris struck out and then Alcala came in as the new pitcher to face Arcia. Arcia was not deterred as he was able to single to put runners on the corners. Sean Murphy hit a bouncer to the pitcher and in a bang-bang play Laureano was initially called safe at home, but the Twins challenged the play and it was overturned resulting in an out. Luke Williams came through with his second double of the night and cleared the bases to make the score 5-1. The Braves offensive outburst ended when Merrifield flied out to end the inning.
Bases cleared! #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/LgNOmRj5U0— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 29, 2024
Luke Jackson came in to relieve Sale in the bottom of the seventh. Sale ended his night with 6.0 innings, six hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
Jackson walked the first hitter he faced, but followed it up with back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout from Margot, who has been a thorn in the Braves’ side tonight with the bat (not so much with his base running though).
Old friend Michael Tonkin came in for the Twins to pitch the eighth. He struck out Kelenic who replaced Jorge Soler defensively in the previous inning. Marcell Ozuna singled to try and get things going again. Olson struck out, but Laureano had another hit to put two on with two outs. The top half of the inning ended when Harris struck out for the third time this game.
Joe Jiménez replaced Jackson in the bottom of the eighth. He looked strong striking out Jeffers and Miranda back-to-back. He did end up walking Santana, but then struck out Castro to end the inning.
Tonkin was replaced in the ninth by Ronny Henriquez who has been solid thus far this year with a 2.89 ERA. He got Arcia to strike out swinging, but Murphy was able to get on base via a walk. That walk was the only offense of the inning though as Luke Williams and Whit Merrifield lined out and flied out respectively.
Even though there was a four run lead, Brian Snitker opted to bring in Raisel Iglesias. It is an interesting move since the Braves play the Phillies tomorrow, but nevertheless, it happened. Iglesias did give up a double, but other than that he did what he has done all season long. He dominated his competition and sat down the hitters without recording an earned run securing the victory for the Braves 5-1.
The Braves go into the series with the Phillies tomorrow being five games back in the division having won six of their last seven games where both their offense and pitching has looked fantastic as of late.
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