Drake Baldwin drives in 4 runs as Braves take series from Athletics

Drake continued to rake and Chris continued to set sail as the Braves eased past the visiting Athletics 5-1 on Wednesday at Truist Park.

Catcher Drake Baldwin went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a walk (and had a would-be extra-base hit taken away by center fielder Denzel Clarke in the seventh inning) while starting pitcher Chris Sale threw six innings of one-hit ball as the Braves claimed their second series win in as many tries.

Baldwin is now 7-for-22 through six games, with a team-high seven RBIs.

“You’re just trying to not overcomplicate it, I guess, when you’re going good,” Baldwin said of his run of offensive success. “Just kind of keep doing what you’re doing. Just keep having fun out there. When you’re doing good, you’re not thinking too much. Just go up to the plate, keep it simple and try to hit the ball that’s down the middle.”

Sale (2-0) held the A’s to a single run and a single hit, striking out three. The former Cy Young Award winner threw a little bit softer than normal (the average velocity of his slider and fastball were each 3.3 mph lower than average) but still got the job done.

The Braves (4-2) next embark on a seven-game road trip starting at 9:45 p.m. Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

“The energy in the clubhouse is really good right now, the boys are having fun and we’re about to get on a really long flight and have a really good time,” Sale said.

On Wednesday, the Braves had been in an 0-for-14 slump with runners in scoring position until Baldwin smacked a two-out single to left with the bases loaded in the second. That gave the Braves a 2-0 lead against A’s starter Luis Severino, who walked five of the first 12 hitters he faced and threw 33 balls out of his first 65 pitches.

Sale, meanwhile, retired the first 11 batters in order before Shea Langeliers took a 1-0 fastball and hit it into the bullpen in left, cutting the A’s deficit in half with two outs in the fourth.

That was the only bit of damage the A’s (1-5) could do against Sale, who threw 79 pitches and worked ahead of 13 of 19 hitters.

“(Sale’s) been doing it forever. That’s why he’s as good as he is,” Baldwin said. “He’s able to lean on some other pitches when he might not have the same (velocity) all the time on his fastball. But the change-up and the slider, being able to throw it for strikes, and kind of execute down in the zone just kind of kept them off-balance and allowed him to get through six innings like he did.”

Severino allowed back-to-back singles with one out in the fourth and was yanked for reliever Elvis Alvarado. After Alvarado got a fly out to right, Baldwin stepped in and battled for 10 pitches before crushing a two-run double into the gap in right.