The Braves looked unstoppable over the final month-plus before the All-Star break. They crushed any pitcher and held any lineup quiet.
Those who are not Braves fans probably hoped the break would cool down the Braves.
Nope.
Atlanta returned to action with a 9-0 win over the White Sox Friday night at Truist Park. The Braves are 61-29.
Five observations:
1. Twice in nine games, the Braves have not let an opposing starter escape the first inning. On July 1, Miami’s Eury Pérez recorded only one out. On Friday, Chicago’s Michael Kopech got only two outs while giving up four runs.
Charlie Morton started both games.
And as a starting pitcher, he feels bad for his counterparts.
“It’s really nice, but sometimes, me being a pitcher, and a starting pitcher, sometimes it’s hard to watch that part of it,” he said. “They’re relentless. You get out on the mound and all you want is to just get through that first inning. I know it sounds like a weird mentality, but there have been times in my career where it was a struggle to get out the first inning and get through a first inning, and there were a couple of times where I didn’t. So I feel for those guys, because it’s tough.
“Those aren’t cheap hits, either. It just looks like they’re meant to just hit the ball really, really hard every time. It’s so weird to watch. Being on the right side of that is great. But the empathy from me (for the opposing pitcher) is there.”
The bottom of the first started like this: Ronald Acuña Jr. walked, Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch and Austin Riley walked.
Then Matt Olson crushed a grand slam. The Braves led by four runs.
Sean Murphy followed that with a walk. Kopech’s first out didn’t come until the sixth batter, and that was Marcell Ozuna’s flyout to the wall in right field.
Kopech threw 38 pitches, and only 14 were strikes. He walked four batters and hurled a wild pitch.
“Great at-bats,” Olson said. Especially after a long break like that, you probably are a little giddy to get back to it. I think it was pretty clear he was struggling to find the zone a little bit early on.”
For the third time in 50 career starts, Kopech failed to get out of the first inning. But the other two were cut short because of injuries.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
2. All along, the Braves have preached about the second half being more important than the first. They were grateful to start strong, but wanted to finish even better.
The Braves took four days off, then returned to business as soon as possible.
“We were playing good ball there before the break, leading up to it, and sometimes when it’s going well, you’re not sure you want the days off,” Olson said.
But that time off, he added, provides a nice breather in the middle of a long season. And in this case, it doesn’t appear to have affected the Braves.
“There was no lull,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “They came right out with that first-inning thing again.”
3. Like his offense, Charlie Morton exited the break as he entered it.
Morton tossed seven scoreless innings. Perhaps the most impressive part: Morton faced the minimum through six innings because he rolled three double plays.
In three July starts, Morton has surrendered one run over 19 innings. He has a 3.20 ERA this season.
“I guess just trying to avoid the crooked number, the big inning, the poorly timed homer,” Morton said of the keys to his success. “I’ve just tried to be a little bit more in the zone and not walk as many guys.”
Morton said he’s been more aggressive with his fastball in recent outings. Prior to that, he’d relied a lot on his curveball in some starts. He said pitching coach Rick Kranitz has helped him improve his delivery over the last couple months.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
4. Why is Morton so tough to face?
Ask Olson, who hit against him when both were in the AL West.
“That mix,” Olson said. “He’s got one of the best curveballs in baseball, but he doesn’t rely on it. It’s a wipeout pitch when he throws it. But he’s also not afraid to come at you with 96, 97, 98 (mph). Got a little cutter and a sinker to get you off the four-seam. He’s been mixing a lot of changeups lately, too.”
5. Dating to May 28, the Braves have won 16 of their last 17 games at Truist Park.
They have won 10 in a row here.
Stat to know
95 - The Braves’ 95 first-inning runs lead the majors this season. Those are the most runs scored by any team in any inning this season.
Quotable
“He’s our quiet leader. Charlie doesn’t say too much, but (he’s) a guy that just goes about everything the right way, genuinely cares for everyone. We got some younger starters. Last year and this year, since I’ve been here, it’s like Charlie is kind of the papa bear of them and is someone that everybody can go to.” - Olson on Morton
Up next
Spencer Strider will start Saturday’s game against right-hander Lance Lynn and the White Sox. The game, which begins at 7:15 p.m., will air on FOX.
