Two Braves relievers had poor outings, which led to a 9-7 loss to the Marlins on Saturday night at Truist Park.
Here are five observations on the Braves (7-9) after their loss to Miami:
1. Collin McHugh and Spencer Strider have pitched well for the Braves this season, but both turned in rough outings.
McHugh entered in the sixth to protect a two-run lead, and it went like this: Single, walk, groundout, two-run single, single.
And just like that, he walked off the field as Braves manager Brian Snitker pulled him for A.J. Minter. Former Brave Jorge Soler hit a run-scoring single on Minter’s first pitch to give the Marlins a lead, but the lefty handled business after that.
McHugh struggled to put away hitters.
“When you’ve got guys 0-2, 1-2 at this level, you’ve got to be able to put them away,” McHugh said. “And I, the last couple of games, have not done a great job of that. Tonight, it shows. When you let guys hang around, you let guys put the barrel on the ball, eventually they’re going to fall, they’re going to score.”
In a one-run game, Strider began the seventh like this: Walk, single, wild pitch, two-run single. The Marlins took a one-run lead as Will Smith entered for Strider. Smith allowed a run on a sacrifice fly, and three runs were charged to Strider, whose ERA rose from 1.00 to 4.00.
“That’s something you look forward to, is the chance to pitch in that type of environment, that type of game right there,” Strider said. “Unfortunately for the team, I didn’t do my job.”
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
2. McHugh had the first batter he faced at 0-2 (it turned into a single). He was ahead 0-2 on the next batter (walk). Two batters later, he got ahead 0-2 (single). Then he was ahead 1-2 (single).
“It’s execution,” McHugh said. “There’s a lot of reasons why you don’t execute a pitch well, whether it’s mechanically, whether it’s focus, whether it’s scouting reports. Whatever the case is. But all those things combined, when it comes down to it, you’ve just got to be able to make the pitch when you need to make the pitch.”
3. After his last outing, in San Diego, Strider said he struggled early but steadied himself.
This time was different.
“It’s the same mentality either way: You’re coming in and you got to get one guy at a time,” Strider said. “Maybe knowing that we’re probably not going much further than that inning at that point, maybe I got a little too fast or didn’t bear down enough or something. Who knows? You got to fill it up right there.”
Snitker said the plan was to use McHugh for the sixth, Strider for the seventh, Smith for the eighth and Jansen in the ninth.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
4. The Braves slugged three more home runs and now have 19 this season. That leads the National League and ranks third in baseball. No one in the NL has more than 15.
5. Something encouraging that came from the loss: Dansby Swanson and Alex Dickerson, two struggling hitters, had great games.
Dickerson launched a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Before it, he was 1-for-23 at the plate this season.
Swanson, who has had trouble limiting strikeouts, tripled in the third inning, then laced a two-run single in the sixth.
Stat to know
17 - Of the Braves’ 19 home runs, 17 are solo shots.
Quotable
“It was good for him to experience that. You knew even if he’s still in, there’s going to be some ups and downs. The kid’s got a year in pro ball.” - Snitker on Strider
Up next
Braves right-hander Bryce Elder faces Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo in Sunday’s series finale, which begins at 1:35 p.m.
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