The Braves shut out the Rockies 3-0 to open a seven-game homestand Tuesday. Ace Chris Sale pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and striking out nine to further strengthen his National League Cy Young candidacy.
Here are five takeaways:
1. Sale made Braves history. He’s the first left-hander to accumulate 200 strikeouts in a season.
“I appreciate it,” Sale said. “It’s really cool. On the flip side of that if we do this thing right, we have two more months of baseball. So things like that, I appreciate and they’re fun. But that’s more for the offseason to reflect and look back on.”
Before Sale, Tom Glavine held the team’s left-handed strikeout record with 192 in 1991. For all the pitching the Braves have had, Sale has assembled one of the most illustrious campaigns for the franchise. He’s currently positioned to win the pitching triple crown as he leads the National League in ERA (2.46), wins (16) and strikeouts (206).
This is Sale’s eighth 200-strikeout season, but it might finally be his first Cy Young-winning one.
“A lot of things he’s doing are very special in my book,” manager Brian Snitker said. “If you’re with him every day and you’re watching these games, how he competes, what he’s done for us. It’s a Cy Young season.”
2. The Braves have had 30 200-strikeout seasons in their storied history. Seventeen of those seasons occurred in Atlanta. The nine pitchers who’ve achieved the milestone: John Smoltz (five times), Phil Niekro (three times), Spencer Strider (twice), Charlie Morton (twice), Javier Vazquez, Kevin Millwood, Greg Maddux, Mike Foltynewicz and Sale.
The latest to join that list will enjoy it later.
“When you get home and the dust has settled, that’s when you start appreciating some of these things and looking back on whatever it is,” Sale said. “I have a job to do. And quite honestly, there are 29 teams that don’t give a damn about any of the strikeouts I’ve had all year. Whoever I’m facing five days from now is coming for me. So for me, I don’t want to get lost in looking at something that really just doesn’t matter right now. It doesn’t count for anything toward the season. It doesn’t help us get more wins.”
3. Second baseman Whit Merrifield was hit in the back of the head by a pitch and exited in the seventh inning. He passed concussion tests and doesn’t expect to miss much time. Luke Williams replaced Merrifield.
Merrifield said he “got lucky” in where the pitch struck him. He expressed concern for how pitchers aren’t punished for being erratic in today’s velocity-focused game.
4. Yet another spectacular play from Michael Harris II in the sixth: Days after the phenomenal play in Philadelphia, the center fielder tracked down a deep flyball from Michael Toglia that prevented a run from scoring. It was a 405-foot out thanks to Harris’ brilliant read.
“I knew he hit it pretty good, then it kind of died a little,” Harris said. “I went back and looked straight up – I thought I’d have to catch it like that – then the wall came so I just had to turn. He hit it pretty good. I knew I had to get back there to try to save a run. I’m just glad I was able to put a glove on it.”
5. The Braves maintained the final wild-card spot with their victory. The Mets trounced the Red Sox 7-2, but the Braves’ win ensured they’ll remain a half-game ahead entering Wednesday’s contests.
Stat to know
14 -- This was the Braves’ 14th shutout win, tied with Philadelphia and Boston for most in the majors.
Quotable
“It’s a shiny coin that you can’t cash in. Again, I don’t want to sound unappreciative. I do appreciate it. I respect the guys before me who’ve done this so I don’t want to sound ungrateful for that. But I just know I have a lot of work to do – we have a lot of work to do – and there’s really only one goal in playing this game and starting this season. And that’s winning the World Series.” – Sale on making history
Up next
Charlie Morton (7-7, 4.26) starts against Bradley Blalock (1-1, 5.23) on Wednesday as the Braves try to clinch a series win.
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