Before we turn the page on a 14-game Braves winning streak that brought plenty of attention to a waffle-centric restaurant that does quite well on its own, thankyaverymuch, a streak that was the fourth-longest in the century-plus history of the franchise, and one shy of matching the longest streak since the team moved to Atlanta, let’s pause to reflect upon the feat and a few statistical oddities.

  (Speaking of waffles. Those from outside the South who wonder what genuine sweet tea tastes lie: If it’s the real thing, the good stuff, when it hits your lips it should taste life waffles with syrup. But anyway….)

  The streak ended Saturday night with a 1-0 loss to the Marlins, the run scoring on a Jordan Walden wild pitch in the ninth inning. Rarities abounded: Atlanta’s 10-game winning streak in April also ended with a 1-0 loss (to the Royals), and do you know how many other 1-0 losses the Braves have had this season? None.

  It was the longest winning streak in major league history to end in a 1-0 loss, surpassing a 12-game winning streak in 1877 by the Boston Red Caps (aka the Boston Red Stockings), who played in the first game in NL history the previous season. And yes, that was the original incarnation of the franchise that, after several name changes and a stop in Milwaukee, became the team that resides today at 755 Hank Aaron Drive in our fair city. The Red Caps lost 1-0 loss to the pesky Chicago White Stockings.

  Get this: The Braves’ two 1-0 losses this season are the only ones in the past 29 seasons that ended double-digit winning streaks.

  One other somewhat flukey note: Ex-Brave Jeff Francoeur drove in the only run for Kansas City on April 17 to end the 10-game streak. Ex-Brave Ed Lucas was batting in the ninth inning Saturday when Jordan Walden threw the wild pitch that let in the only run for the Marlins. Also, ex-Brave Mike Dunn struck out pinch-hitter Brian McCann with one out and a runner at first in the eighth inning.

  The Braves had in the first seven innings Saturday and finished with three hits. This after batting .293 with 17 homers and averaging nearly six runs per game during the 14-game winning streak, including seven games with 10 or more hits.

  Also during the winning streak, the Braves had a 2.08 ERA and led the NL with a .993 fielding percentage.

BRAVES LINEUP Sunday

1. Heyward rf
2. JUpton lf
3. Freeman 1b
4. Gattis c
5. CJohnson 3b
6. Uggla 2b
7. Simmons ss
8. Schafer cf
9. Minor p

 • Pitching, pitching, pitching: The Braves have allowed one or no earned runs in seven of their past 15 games, posting a 2.01 ERA in that period to reduce their  overall ERA to 3.20, second in the majors leagues behind Pittsburgh (3.15) before today.

   “The consistent part is what we’ve been doing all year, we’ve been pitching,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said, when discussing the winning streak prior to Saturday’s game. “Other than the first game that Beach came back from Tommy John, other than that, we’ve been pitching every single night out. Roger does a hell of a job.”

   Brandon Beachy allowed seven earned runs in 3-1/3 innings against the Rockies on July 29 in his first start in 13 months after Tommy John surgery. If  you throw out those 3-1/3 innings, the Braves have a stunning 1.60 ERA, with just 14 earned runs allowed in 135-1/3 innings.

  “Roger McDowell,” McCann said, simply. “He’s done a hell of a job since he’s been here.”

   Braves relievers allowed just two earned runs in 42 innings (0.43 ERA) during the winning streak, including no runs in the last 22-1/3 innings of the streak. Until the run scored on Walden’s wild pitch in the ninth inning Saturday, Braves relievers hadn’t allowed a run in 24 innings, since David Carpenter allowed one in an 11-2 rout against Colorado on Aug. 1.

   Braves relievers lead the majors in most major statistical categories including ERA (2.40 ERA), opponents’ batting average (.211), opponents’ slugging percentage (.299), and opponents’ OPS (.588), fewest homers allowed (16, with no other team below 23).

  Meanwhile, they don’t have any reliever ranked among  NL's top 10 in appearances or top 20 in innings pitched. That’s the best of both worlds, so to speak, and should help Braves relievers avoid fatigue during the stretch drive and into the postseason.

   “They’re keeping us fresh down there,” Walden said. “We’re getting off days, and it helps us. Trying to keep everybody fresh. It’s a long season, so… Everybody’s doing good, man. I feel great. I think everybody feels great.”

  That was before Walden took a ground ball off his right hand with two out in the ninth Saturday. But X-rays were negative and that injury isn’t believed to be serious or anything that would keep him out of for more than a couple of days.

   A couple of stat notes on some streaking relievers.

   Carpenter, one of the big surprises for the Braves and another of their astute waiver-claim pickups, struck out all three batters in the seventh inning Saturday and has a 1.48 ERA, .196 opponents’ average and 51 strikeouts with 15 walks in 42-2/3 innings over his past 31 appearances. That includes 34 strikeouts with three walks in 25-1/3 innings over his last 17 appearances.

  Luis Avilan’s past 33 appearances: 0.00 ERA, 29-2/3 innings, one unearned run, 11 hits (.113 opponents’ average), 11 hits, nine walks, 18 strikeouts.

   Craig Kimbrel’s past 32 appearances: 0.28 ERA, 26-of-26 saves, 32 innings, 15 hits, one run, 14 walks, 51 strikeouts.

  Walden, before giving up a run Saturday, had a 1.04 ERA and .135 opponents’ average in his past 28 appearances, allowed 12 hits, three runs and nine walks with 30 strikeouts in 26 innings.

  • Another statistical eye-opener: When the Braves swept a series at Washington last week for the second time this season, they held the Nationals to three runs or fewer each night to extend a streak to 12 consecutive games in which they’ve done that against Washington. According to Elias, it’s only the third time in 20 seasons that a team has held one opponent to three or fewer runs in at least a dozen games in a row, and all three times it was Braves pitchers that accomplished the feat. They did it in 13 consecutive games against the Mets in 2010, and in 12 consecutive games against the Cardinals in 1997-1998.

 Here's a great, late-career gem you might not have heard from John Mellencamp. Click here to check it out. Seriously, you might be surprised.

“SAVE SOME TIME TO DREAM” by John Mellencamp

Save some time to dream
Save some time for yourself
Don't let your time slip away
Or be stolen by somebody else
Save some time for those you love
For they'll remember what you gave
Save some time for the songs you sing
And the music that you've made

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there's nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
'Cause your dream could save us all

Save some time for sorrow
Cause it will surely come your way
Prepare yourself for failure
It will give you strength some day
Try to keep your mind open
And accept your mistakes
Save some time for living
And always question your faith

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there's nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
'Cause your dream might save us all

Cast your eyes up to heaven
Oh what does that mean to you
Try not to be too judgmental
So others will not judge you
Save some time to think
Oh before you speak your mind
Many will not understand
And to them you must to be kind

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there's nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
'Cause your dream might save us all

Oh yeah
Your dream might save us all