Freddie Freeman gets a lot of attention for his powerful bat, but it was his first-base defense that kept the Braves close enough Monday night to make a ninth-inning rally attempt possible against the Chicago Cubs.
The Braves fell short, scoring two runs in the thrilling ninth inning of a 4-3 loss, but the Braves might have faced a six-run or even greater deficit entering the ninth if not for Freeman's two-out defensive plays with bases loaded in the fifth inning and with two runners in scoring position in the sixth.
Freeman switched to third base temporarily after returning from the disabled list two weeks ago, so power-hitting Matt Adams could stay in the lineup at first base. But Freeman started at first base Monday for the third time in the past eight games – each time the Braves faced a lefty starter in that period.
Having Freeman, the superior defensive player, at the position Monday legitimately saved four or five potential runs for Braves starter Julio Teheran.
With bases loaded and the Braves trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Freeman stopped a sizzling grounder off the bat of Kyle Schwarber about 15 feet behind first base near the line. He fielded it and stepped on the base for the third out, after the Cubs had scored two runs earlier in the inning and had a chance to blow the game open.
“Freddie made two great plays,” said Teheran (7-7), who gave up three walks and two hits in the inning including Ben Zobrist’s two-run single. “He had my back right there. The last two games they’ve been having my back. Just worry about making pitches and I know all the guys can make a play for me.”
Teheran got into trouble again in the sixth after a leadoff double from Ian Happ and an errant pickoff throw that advanced Happ to third with none out. Jason Heyward hit a one-hop ground-out to second baseman Brandon Phillips and Javier Baez struck out to bring up pitcher Lester, the runner still at third.
Teheran fell behind in the count 3-0 – the second ball was in the strike zone but CB Bucknor missed it, as he did several other pitches Monday – and when Lester put his bat on his shoulder to let Teheran throw the fourth pitch, he still missed the strike zone for a four-pitch walk.
Lester stole second base while Zobrist was batting to put two runners in scoring position, then Zobrist smoked a grounder up the first-base line and Freeman dove to his left to stop it. Again he came up with the ball, then stepped on first base for the third out, saving two more runs to keep the deficit at 2-1.
“Impressive plays, for sure,” Braves catcher Tyler Flowers said of Freeman’s work. Then he smiled and quipped, “Looks like a third baseman.”
Snitker said, “I told (Freeman) when I made one of the pitching changes, we are probably sitting here 8-1 if he doesn’t make those plays. Those were huge.”
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