The Braves came out ahead in a pitcher’s duel, defeating the Cubs 2-0 Monday in the series opener at Truist Park.
Here are five observations from Monday:
1 Imagine being told in February that two of the inarguable top starters in the National League through mid-May would be Reynaldo Lopez and Shota Imanaga. Their matchup lived up to the numbers.
Imanaga and Lopez entered Monday with ERAs of 1.08 and 1.53, respectively. They both lowered those marks Monday, each tossing five scoreless innings. Lopez exited after only 71 pitches due to back tightness, but he is OK and expected to make his next start. He’d pleaded to remain in the game but the Braves wanted to be cautious.
“I told them I wanted to keep pitching but they’re more concerned about the long term,” Lopez said via team interpreter Franco Garcia.
2. Go figure that Zack Short, the journeyman starting at third base for the injured Austin Riley, would snap a scoreless tie in the sixth with an RBI double. Short, acquired from Boston four days ago, has fit the team nicely. He walked twice and scored two runs Sunday (after replacing Riley in the fourth frame) then came through again Monday.
“He has good at-bats,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He extends them. He takes his walks. That was big, obviously.”
3. Keeping with the theme of unexpected heroes, reliever Ray Kerr provided two scoreless innings with three strikeouts immediately following Lopez. Kerr, formerly with San Diego, threw 15 strikes out of 19 pitches. He looks like another quality find for an organization that does a terrific job accumulating depth.
“It’s kind of what we saw in spring training, what I’d been hearing,” Snitker said. “That stuff is as good as it gets right there. If he throws it over, that really, really can be huge. That’s a perfect bridge guy. It doesn’t look like, with that kind of stuff, that he’s a matchup guy. He can go either side and help shorten the game for you.”
4. Reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuña was picked off at first base in the opening frame after getting nabbed at first twice Sunday. He was picked off three consecutive trips to first base.
“I was definitely caught by surprise those times I got picked off,” Acuña said Garcia. “There’s no excuse for it. It’s part of the game, but like I said, there is no excuse. Those are missed opportunities for the team and it’s just something we need to be better at.”
Acuña acknowledged part of the issue might be his aggressive leads. “Maybe just trying to be a little too aggressive,” he said. Acuña, of course, stole 73 bases last season. He’s stolen 14 so far this season.
Snitker on the pick offs: “It’s just something we have to be more aware (of) and address this. We’re not swinging the bats well enough to give away outs. Those guys are aware of it and we have to clean it up.” Snitker didn’t say anything to Acuña afterwards: “I don’t think he felt real good about it, so I didn’t think I needed to. We’ll address it and it’ll get better.”
Acuña has been picked off an MLB-high four times, all this month. He’s the first player to be picked off three times over a two-game span since Scott Podsednik on May 12-13, 2005.
5. Lefty A.J. Minter, one night after blowing the save in New York, left two Cubs stranded to preserve the Braves’ lead in the ninth. Closer Raisel Iglesias threw 23 and 25 pitches, respectively, in consecutive outings during the weekend, so Snitker said he wanted to give him another day. Key reliever Joe Jimenez threw 40 pitches Saturday, so he was likewise resting.
“Our eyes are on three months from now, not today,” Snitker said.
Stat to know
5-1 (The Braves have won five of six since getting swept in Los Angeles, a nice way to rebound.)
Quotable
“I didn’t anticipate things going the way they have up to this point. I expected a little bit of a longer adjustment period. But I just feel very grateful for the way things have been going.” – Lopez on his success
Up next
The Braves and Cubs face off again Tuesday with Chris Sale (5-1, 2.95) facing righty Jameson Taillon (3-0, 1.13).
About the Author
