Braves starter Eric Stults gave allowed two triples, two home runs and six earned runs against the Reds on Saturday while taking the loss.
Stults made it through seven innings, though, and that’s not a small consideration for a starting rotation that hasn’t had enough long outings.
“You take away eating up the innings,” Stults said. “Obviously you don’t want to lose but I’m grateful I was able to go out and pitch seven and try to save the bullpen.”
Entering Monday Braves starters had recorded 5.5 innings pitched per game started. That ranked tied for third-worst among the 30 major league clubs.
After Stults pitched seven innings, Braves right-hander Julio Teheran lasted six innings in a victory against the Reds on Sunday. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez hopes it’s the start of a trend of longer outings for his starters.
“That’s what we need, really, to get into some kind of long (winning) steak,” he said. “Nobody is made to go to the bullpen in the fifth (inning) day in and day out. There’s not a team out there that can withstand that. You need your starter to go out there and give you (at least) six.”
