<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/690YjQjd0JMwxdYSOIJR09bqF2A=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73584693/usa_today_24223032.0.jpg">
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
It was a fairly straightforward win for the Braves on Friday night. The Braves used some early homers, a strong a Spencer Schwellenbach start and a perfect bullpen night to down the Dodgers 6-2 Friday night at Truist Park.
All season long, the question for the Braves has been will they score enough to compliment the best pitching staff in baseball, or really, will they score at all. They took care of the latter right out of the gate Friday night.
In the bottom of the first, Jorge Soler roped a line drive to right field for a 1-out single, and advanced to second after Marcell Ozuna followed with a single of his own. Matt Olson then followed with an RBI double down the right field line that drove in Soler and gave the Braves an early 1-0 lead.
Matty O @CuracaoTravel | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/KaTOYnJKiu— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 13, 2024
Another problem the Braves have run into this season is being able to add-on runs as the game goes along. They took care of that problem in the second. Orlando Arcia led the inning off with a walk and Gio Urshela immediately paid it off with a long 2-run homer to left field to give Atlanta a 3-0 lead.
Dinger probability @CuracaoTravel | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/aPy03ZL8jV— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 13, 2024
Whit Merrifield followed the 2-run homer with a single, and after a long, loud fly-out from Michael Harris II, Jorge Soler came up and extended the lead with a 2-run rocket homer of his own. Very quickly, the Braves had a 5-0 lead.
Soler power ⚡️@Delta | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/mOmFQlsULD— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 13, 2024
From there it Spencer Schwellenbach and the bullpen’s job to make it hold up. After getting through the first inning with nothing but a 2-out walk allowed, Schwellenbach entered the second inning with a 1-0 lead and held onto the momentum by getting a 1-2-3 inning on 12 pitches, including a strikeout of Will Smith to end the inning. He got his offense right back on the field and they responded with four more runs.
The Dodgers were able to get one back in the top of the third, after falling behind 3-1 to Miguel Rojas, Schwellenbach threw a 95 mph fastball down in the zone that Rojas golfed out for a solo homer to make it a 5-1 game. The Dodgers got their second run after Teoscar Hernandez lined a 1-out double in the fourth, followed by an RBI single from Tommy Edman.
But credit to Schwellenbach, he settled down and retired 7 hitters in row from the end of the fourth through the end of the sixth. He finished with a final line 6 IP, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. It was a nice bounce back game from the rookie after a rough outing last weekend against Toronto. And especially important following the Reynaldo Lopez injury earlier this week.
From there it was bullpen time for the Braves. Pierce Johnson came in for his typical appearance in the seventh and pitched a scoreless frame, only allowing a 1-out single to Will Smith, which was immediately erased on a double play.
Joe Jimenez looked every bit as his dominant self in the eighth, striking out Miguel Rojas and Shohei Ohtani, before getting Mookie Betts to ground out to end the inning. Ohtani, Betts, and Freddie Freeman went a combined 0-11 in the game, which always helps when facing the Dodgers.
The Braves tacked on another run in the bottom of the eighth with a Merrifield single followed by an RBI double from Harris to make it a 6-2 game. Raisel Iglesias pitched his patented 1-2-3 inning in the ninth and the Braves took home the 6-2 win. With the win, they moved to 80-67 on the season, still 1 game back of the Mets for final Wild Card spot as the Mets beat the Phillies Friday night.
Cash money @MoneyyyMikeee | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/91pJGGzRWD— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 14, 2024
Chris Sale will face off against Jack Flaherty Saturday night as the Braves will once again try to move to 14-games over .500 for the first time this season.
<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/690YjQjd0JMwxdYSOIJR09bqF2A=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73584693/usa_today_24223032.0.jpg">
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
It was a fairly straightforward win for the Braves on Friday night. The Braves used some early homers, a strong a Spencer Schwellenbach start and a perfect bullpen night to down the Dodgers 6-2 Friday night at Truist Park.
All season long, the question for the Braves has been will they score enough to compliment the best pitching staff in baseball, or really, will they score at all. They took care of the latter right out of the gate Friday night.
In the bottom of the first, Jorge Soler roped a line drive to right field for a 1-out single, and advanced to second after Marcell Ozuna followed with a single of his own. Matt Olson then followed with an RBI double down the right field line that drove in Soler and gave the Braves an early 1-0 lead.
Matty O @CuracaoTravel | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/KaTOYnJKiu— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 13, 2024
Another problem the Braves have run into this season is being able to add-on runs as the game goes along. They took care of that problem in the second. Orlando Arcia led the inning off with a walk and Gio Urshela immediately paid it off with a long 2-run homer to left field to give Atlanta a 3-0 lead.
Dinger probability @CuracaoTravel | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/aPy03ZL8jV— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 13, 2024
Whit Merrifield followed the 2-run homer with a single, and after a long, loud fly-out from Michael Harris II, Jorge Soler came up and extended the lead with a 2-run rocket homer of his own. Very quickly, the Braves had a 5-0 lead.
Soler power ⚡️@Delta | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/mOmFQlsULD— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 13, 2024
From there it Spencer Schwellenbach and the bullpen’s job to make it hold up. After getting through the first inning with nothing but a 2-out walk allowed, Schwellenbach entered the second inning with a 1-0 lead and held onto the momentum by getting a 1-2-3 inning on 12 pitches, including a strikeout of Will Smith to end the inning. He got his offense right back on the field and they responded with four more runs.
The Dodgers were able to get one back in the top of the third, after falling behind 3-1 to Miguel Rojas, Schwellenbach threw a 95 mph fastball down in the zone that Rojas golfed out for a solo homer to make it a 5-1 game. The Dodgers got their second run after Teoscar Hernandez lined a 1-out double in the fourth, followed by an RBI single from Tommy Edman.
But credit to Schwellenbach, he settled down and retired 7 hitters in row from the end of the fourth through the end of the sixth. He finished with a final line 6 IP, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. It was a nice bounce back game from the rookie after a rough outing last weekend against Toronto. And especially important following the Reynaldo Lopez injury earlier this week.
From there it was bullpen time for the Braves. Pierce Johnson came in for his typical appearance in the seventh and pitched a scoreless frame, only allowing a 1-out single to Will Smith, which was immediately erased on a double play.
Joe Jimenez looked every bit as his dominant self in the eighth, striking out Miguel Rojas and Shohei Ohtani, before getting Mookie Betts to ground out to end the inning. Ohtani, Betts, and Freddie Freeman went a combined 0-11 in the game, which always helps when facing the Dodgers.
The Braves tacked on another run in the bottom of the eighth with a Merrifield single followed by an RBI double from Harris to make it a 6-2 game. Raisel Iglesias pitched his patented 1-2-3 inning in the ninth and the Braves took home the 6-2 win. With the win, they moved to 80-67 on the season, still 1 game back of the Mets for final Wild Card spot as the Mets beat the Phillies Friday night.
Cash money @MoneyyyMikeee | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/91pJGGzRWD— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 14, 2024
Chris Sale will face off against Jack Flaherty Saturday night as the Braves will once again try to move to 14-games over .500 for the first time this season.
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