Braves give up three runs in eighth, lose to Blue Jays

A win slipped through the Braves’ fingers Tuesday, when the team failed to protect a late advantage and lost 5-3 to the Blue Jays at Truist Park.

Here are five takeaways from the loss:

1. The Braves fell apart in the eighth, when they allowed the first five Blue Jays to reach and lost their 3-2 lead.

Reliever A.J. Minter, who’s been reliable most of the season, never found a rhythm. Jonathan Davis doubled to start the frame. Marcus Semien reached on a fielder’s choice when Minter hesitated before trying to nab Davis at second. “Who knows where the inning goes if we get that out,” manager Brian Sniker said in the postgame press conference. Bo Bichette’s single then loaded the bases.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked a ball in front of left fielder Marcell Ozuna, tying the game. Snitker swapped Minter for Jacob Webb.

Webb coaxed a ground ball to first baseman Freddie Freeman from Teoscar Hernandez. Freeman’s first instinct was to throw home, but he then realized his only play was to get the out at first. Webb, expecting Freeman to fire home, ducked and didn’t cover first. The Braves were stuck in no-man’s land. Every Blue Jay was safe and Toronto took the lead. Webb later walked in another run, resulting in the 5-3 score.

“Freddie just didn’t come up with the ball,” Snitker said of the Braves’ missed opportunity. “If he comes up with the ball, he probably gets the forceout at home. He couldn’t find a handle for a little bit.” The replay doesn’t clearly show Freeman having much difficulty fielding the ball, instead showing that he seemed to realize he wasn’t going to get Semien at home and changed course to first, but Snitker was sharing his interpretation.

2. It was a rare off night for Minter, who hadn’t allowed an earned run since April 15. He was charged with three runs in the Blue Jays’ big eighth. It snapped a streak of 10 consecutive outings without surrendering an earned run (he allowed an unearned run in extra innings against the Phillies Saturday).

“Those guys are rough on lefties,” Snitker said of the Blue Jays. “You have to execute pitches. Like the changeup to the leadoff hitter, he just got it up. If it had been down, it probably would’ve been an effective pitch. You have to pitch your spots against these guys. (Minter) has been so good the last 10 outings.”

3. Starter Bryse Wilson, recalled earlier in the day, made just one mistake in his six-inning effort. Wilson allowed two runs, both coming via Guerrero’s homer, on six hits. He struck out five and didn’t issue a walk.

“We were able to mix it up really well,” Wilson said. “Figured out some stuff about my identity as a pitcher in my last start at Gwinnett. We carried that over. I was happy with how I mixed pitches today.” Wilson said he’s started using his changeup more as part of that new identity. “Relying on that, playing that off the two-seam and four-seam, it’s going to be very beneficial for me going forward.”

4. Ronald Acuna smashed his MLB-leading 11th homer in the third inning off Blue Jays starter Robbie Ray. Ozuna homered in the sixth, his first since May 5. He has a hit in 11 of his past 14 games.

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

5. The Braves have reached the .500 mark three times this season. Each time, they’ve failed to win their next game. They’re still striving to obtain their first winning record of the 2021 season.

Stat of the game

0-4 (The Braves are winless in four tries against the Blue Jays. That’s helped Toronto maintain a winning record at 18-16.)

Quotable

“I’ve been through a lot of adversity in my career. This is nothing.” - Minter on bouncing back from his performance

Rise up

Falcons’ Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was in attendance. He was shown on the Truist Park video board and received a loud applause. He and Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson did a jersey swap before the game.

Up next

Max Fried starts for the Braves Wednesday and will try to find similar success to his previous outing, when he allowed one run over five innings against the Nationals. Hyun Jin Ryu, who found plenty of success against the Braves during his Dodgers days, will start for Toronto.