The Braves on Friday put together a complete performance in a 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks at Truist Park. Atlanta is 60-41.
Here are five observations:
1. Braves starter Kyle Wright spoke for everyone when he discussed Austin Riley’s dominance.
“We’re watching a superstar right now,” Wright said. “Any time he steps in the box, you’re just wondering how far is he going to hit it? How hard is he going to hit it?”
Riley on Friday owned Madison Bumgarner, a veteran lefty who in his prime was one of baseball’s top starting pitchers. Bumgarner is a decorated arm, one who has had a long career, but he joined the long line of pitchers to struggle versus Riley.
Riley went 3-for-3 against Bumgarner after entering the game 2-for-10 against him in his career.
In the first inning, Riley lined a 110.3-mph rocket that stayed fair for a line-drive solo homer. In the third, he smoked a 113.3-mph RBI double. And two innings after that, he stung a 101.3-mph RBI double.
“You can’t throw him a strike,” Wright said. “I feel like anything you throw in there, he’s doing damage on. He’s not just getting hits, he’s doing damage, which is even more impressive. He’s just been so impressive with his at-bats, the damage. He’s playing great defense. He really is just doing it all.”
Added manager Brian Snitker: “It’s something else. It’s like just another day for him, too. He comes, prepares and just does what he does right now. It’s pretty special.”
2. Recently, Riley had a FaceTime conversation with Dansby Swanson and Mike Brumley, the Braves’ former minor-league hitting coordinator who has helped Riley a lot. The three talked about his hand placement when hitting, and he’s tried to apply the tweak consistently.
It has, um, worked.
He’s hitting .427 with a 1.372 OPS in July. He has 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 24 RBIs this month.
Riley said the most important part in achieving consistency is finding a routine. He’s tried to seek out what works for him.
“I know as hitters, we’ll try anything,” Riley said. “I know I will. If it works, I’ll stand on my head.”
Riley is on pace for 93 extra-base hits this season, which would surpass the Braves’ franchise record of 92, set by Hank Aaron in 1956.
He has 29 home runs and 29 doubles this season. Since the turn of the century, only four other major leaguers have hit 29 of each by their 101st game of the season. Riley is tied for the fastest to these marks in franchise history with Aaron, who reached them in 101 games one year.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
3. Wright has consistently gone deeper into starts than he had in previous seasons.
Friday marked the 10th time Wright has pitched into the seventh inning this season. He did it twice in 16 starts, including the postseason, before this year. In 2022, Wright has completed eight innings once and has finished seven innings five times.
Wright on Friday allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five, walked two and hurled 96 pitches. He didn’t feel like he pitched well, so the fact that he still turned in a quality start speaks to his growth.
“It’s huge,” said Wright, who is 13-4. “I had my curveball and I was able to lean on it heavy, whereas before I feel like I would’ve searched and kind of lost my way. I just used my pitch to my advantage. I still used the fastball effectively.”
4. Bumgarner entered this game with a 2.69 ERA over 16 career starts versus Atlanta, including a seven-inning no-hitter at Truist Park last season. He held the Braves to two runs in their June 1 meeting, though the Braves won.
Bumgarner allowed five runs, four of them earned, over six innings.
After Riley’s first-inning solo homer, the Braves scored one run in the third on a throwing error, another on Riley’s RBI double and a third on Travis d’Arnaud’s single. Riley beat Bumgarner again in the fifth.
5. The Braves’ bullpen shut down the Diamondbacks.
When Wright departed with two outs in the seventh, lefty Dylan Lee entered, with two men on base, and got a strikeout to quell the threat. Collin McHugh pitched a clean eighth. Kenley Jansen, who ranks third in baseball in saves, earned his 24th of the season after loading the bases with two outs.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Stat to know
59 - Riley leads the majors with 59 extra-base hits.
Quotable
“You can’t throw him a strike. I feel like anything you throw in there, he’s doing damage on. He’s not just getting hits, he’s doing damage, which is even more impressive. He’s just been so impressive with his at-bats, the damage. He’s playing great defense. He really is just doing it all.” - Wright on Riley
Up next
Braves righty Ian Anderson will look to get back on track on Saturday, when he faces right-hander Corbin Martin and the Diamondbacks. First pitch is at 7:20 p.m.
