The Braves’ trend of alternating wins and losses every other day since the All-Star break continued Sunday, when the offense struggled in a 2-1 loss to the Brewers. The Braves dropped two of three to Milwaukee at Truist Park.
“That’s a really good team there we just played,” manager Brian Snitker said. “We had a chance to win the series. They’re riding their pitching, too. That’s a solid bullpen. Their starters are really good. We were a hit away.”
Indeed, the Braves came a hit short. But it wasn’t due to lack of opportunity. After having consecutive strong efforts against Milwaukee’s dual aces in Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff, the Braves managed only one run over 5-2/3 innings against lefty Brett Anderson. They created chances against the Brewers’ formidable bullpen but couldn’t make the most of them.
The Braves stranded eight baserunners, including two each in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames. They went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
And so the Braves lost a game in which they allowed only three hitters to reach base. They last lost such a game on Oct. 2, 1999, when the Marlins had two hits. The Brewers last won such a game on Aug. 31, 1978.
Credit: Ben Margot
Credit: Ben Margot
With the loss, the Braves are 8-9 in the second half. They’ve alternated wins and losses for 16 consecutive games dating back to their second game after the All-Star break. It’s the longest such streak in MLB history, though it won’t remain official due to the Braves’ suspended game against the Padres. When that contest concludes Sept. 24, the streak will technically be snapped.
Regardless, the last few weeks have left them at 52-54, still unable to cross the .500 mark for the first time this season but alive in the uninspiring National League East race.
“I think we’re right where we started when left and started this journey,” Snitker said of the second half. “This was a gauntlet we went through. Mentally, physically, just the competition. We’re going to end the day the way we started, which is good because that thing could’ve gone sideways at any point in time with the teams we were playing. And it didn’t. We hung in there. The guys have played a lot of baseball the last three weeks. They did a great job, I thought. It’d have been nice if we had a five-game winning streak in there. We didn’t but we’re still right there and this was a rough stretch.”
Starter Charlie Morton: “We’ve alternated wins and losses every single game. The probability of that happening - I think I saw it was a record. Does this team have the propensity to do that? I would say no. I’d say it’s just really, really weird. It’s been a weird year. But it’s the same story. We just need to get on a run.
“We’re playing good baseball. We’re in games. We’re not going on bad stretches. So I don’t know, really. We talked before the trade deadline about coming out of the All-Star break and this stretch against really good teams. I think we played well. I really do. But we just need to get some momentum.”
Morton made few mistakes Sunday but there wasn’t a margin for error. Willy Adames was the only Brewer the reach base over the first four innings. The problem: His hit was a homer that put Milwaukee up 1-0 in the first. The Brewers added another run in the fifth thanks to two soft singles, including Luis Urias hitting a ball into a perfect soft spot in shallow left. Jackie Bradley’s groundout scored the second run.
Morton allowed two runs on three hits over his six innings. He struck out six and didn’t issue a walk. Morton has surrendered three or fewer runs in 14 of his past 16 starts since May 7.
“Charlie did a great job,” Snitker said. “We were a big hit away. We got some big hits and put ourselves in position, just couldn’t finish the deal.”
One bright spot: For the second consecutive game, the Braves’ bullpen held the Brewers scoreless. Chris Martin, Luke Jackson and Richard Rodriguez combined for three perfect innings. It was Rodriguez’s second scoreless appearance in two games since the Braves acquired him at Friday’s trade deadline.
The Braves are off Monday. They’ll begin a one-city road trip in St. Louis beginning Tuesday.
