The Braves have been consistent at home this season. Unfortunately, that is not a good thing, as they have failed to win close games.
With a 2-1 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night, the Braves fell to 2-18 at home (12-32 overall).
However, those numbers don’t tell the entire story. In home games decided by one or two runs, the Braves are 0-10, meaning they aren’t finishing close games in which they have the final at-bat.
It happened again Tuesday. After a career-high 12-strikeout performance, Julio Teheran still didn’t get what would’ve been his first home win. Instead, his performance was negated after the bullpen gave up a run in the eighth inning. The Braves sent four batters to the plate in the ninth and got two ground outs, a broken-bat single, and a fly-out to end the game.
Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
This has been the formula for the Braves at home. Get a lead or at least tie the game, then watch it slip away at the end. While the team is looking for alternate ways to score runs, nothing has really worked. There is either been a hard-luck play like centerfielder Mallex Smith sliding off the second base bag or a double play to end the inning. The result has always seemed to remain the same—a Braves loss.
Still, the players believe it has to turn around soon. Smith was the first one to point it out after the game.
“If win those one point games, that is like another 10 wins at least,” Smith said. “If we find a way to flip that, we will be a really good team.”
Braves interim manager Brian Snitker agrees with Smith. He believes if a couple of plays went the Braves’ way, the result would have been different.
“It is kind of typical of how our season is going,” Snitker said. “We just play a really good ballgame and guys bust their tails out there to work hard to get a win. I guess in this business, you make your own luck. Hopefully, the baseball gods shine on us and hopefully turn the thing around for us.”
